Square
by Ness-amominafandom
Summary: When Chat Noir finally get up the nerve to confess to Ladybug it has unforeseen consequences, as it gives Marinette the courage to finally tell Adrien how she feels. But when Chat and Marinette turn to each other for comfort, the whole love square gets frightfully more complicated than either of them had expected.
1. Chapter 1

Ladybug looked over the city of Paris and let out a relived sigh. "As far as akumas go," she turned to Chat Noir with a smile. "That one wasn't so bad."

"An angry bus driver," he shrugged "With disrespectful passengers. Who knew she could have switched gears so quickly." Ladybug rolled her eyes, as she repressed a giggle.

"I think the gears pun is stretching it Chat," she smirked.

"Sorry, my lady," Chat winked, "I was too bus-y fighting to think of anything better." Ladybug stared at her partner, utterly confused until his horrible attempt at a pun dawned on her.

"Bus-y?" she laughed. "Really Chat? That one doesn't really work outside of print."

"I had to try," he smiled roguishly. A beep sounded between the pair.

"That's me," Ladybug smiled, her hand instinctively reaching to her ear. "I better go." She had her yo-yo in had ready to toss it and fly off into the night until she felt a large hand stay her movement. She whipped around and she saw a very nervous Chat Noir staring back at her.

"One minute Ladybug," he said, a tightness to his voice that she had never heard before.

"Chat, I have…"

"I know," he interrupted. "But I swore to myself that I'd say this. I've put it off for too long." Chat took a deep breath a let it out slowly, the nerves that she saw so clearly in her partners eyes turned into something drastically different. Resolve. "I like you," Chat said, "A lot," his gaze met hers unflinchingly.

Marinette fought to keep her face still. She had suspected that Chat might have felt this way about her, but here she had his confession, and there was absolutely no denying it anymore. She felt flattered, but the same old doubt crept in. _How would he feel if he knew that Ladybug was in fact, bumbling clumsily, plain, foot constantly in her mouth Marinette?_ She wondered and forced herself to look away.

Chat Noir really was incredible. He was reliable, funny-once you got used to the terrible puns, roguishly handsome, but he wasn't Adrien. Her heart, as both Marinette and Ladybug belonged to him alone.

"You don't have to say anything," Chat smiled, hopefully. "I know you have to go, but…"

"Chat," she interrupted, and she felt his grip on her arm tighten and loosen in the span of a blink. "I'm flattered but," Tikki sounded the beep again, and she cringed. "But I like someone else." She dared to look up at Chat's face. She was surprised to see that her normally expressive partner, wore a vaguely familiar and unreadable mask.

"C'est la vie," Chat shrugged with a smirk fixed firmly on his face. "My Lady is quite amazing. He is a lucky man."

"Chat," Ladybug shook her head, not knowing what to say.

"Don't worry Ladybug," Chat smiled. "This won't change anything between us. I've always been your friend and partner, and I always will be." He pulled his baton from his belt, pressing a button to extend it, before turning and flashing Marinette a brilliant smile. "You never know until you try, right?"

"Good night, Chat," she said, fighting the blush that crept up into her cheeks.

"Good Night, My Lady," Chat winked at her and then darted off into the night. Another beep from her earrings, and Marinette finally let her yo-yo fly rapidly making her way to where she had stored her things before transforming in to Ladybug.

She found the deserted alley in no time, looked around as Tikki released her transformation one the final warning beep and floated right in front of Marinette as she grabbed the carefully wrapped bag of fabric from its hiding spot.

"How do you feel?" Tikki asked with a small sympathetic smile.

"Terrible," Marinette confessed slumping against the brick wall. "I didn't want to hurt him, but I did."

"It happens with Ladybug and Chat Noir more often than you'd think," Tikki said putting a tiny hand on Marinette's nose.

"I just wish I could have talked to him more," Marinette slumped further. "Chat is my friend, and partner. He's the only one who really understands," she waved her hands around frantically, "Well, all of this." Tikki just nodded. Marinette sighed and glanced up at the sky, before clutching her bag tighter and rising to her feet. Tikki dove back into her purse, and munched on the waiting cookies, letting Marinette alone with her thoughts.

Her feet led her automatically home, "There you are," Sabine rushed to the door and swept Marinette up in a fierce hug. "You left your phone upstairs, and there was another attack while you were out."

"I know," Marinette said, relishing in the hug a little more than normal. "I hid in a café near the fabric shop until it was over. I'm sorry I left my phone here. I could have sworn I took it with me." Marinette had been certain she shad brought it, she opened her purse and saw Tikki hiding near the bottom. The kwami just winked, and resumed quietly munching on her cookie. Her mother gave her another squeeze before Marinette retreated to the silence of her bedroom.

She carefully put her fabric away, and took a shower getting ready for bed. All the time her thoughts consumed with the incredibly brief conversation with Chat Noir. In another life, she felt like she could have fallen for Chat. He was brave and sweet. He was always more concerned for her safety than he was of his own. Funny and smart. Always there for her.

Marinette let out a huge sigh as she ran a brush though her hair. It would be easier if she had fallen for Chat Noir rather than Adrien. But the heart wants what it wants, and there is no convincing it to change its affections simply because life would be easier. Marinette wandered back to her room, not really seeing anything, and climbed up into her loft bed.

"What are you going to do?" Tikki's tiny voice asked from the small plushy bed that Marinette had recently finished making for her kwami.

"I'm going to take Chat Noir's advice," Marinette said firmly.

"He gave you advice?" Tikki asked, tilting her head to one side as Marinette rolled over to look at her.

"It wasn't advice per say," Marinette nodded. "But," she smiled thinking of how brave her partner had been to confess how he truly felt without any reserve. "You never know until you try, right?"

"You are going to confess to Adrien?" Tikki smiled.

"I don't think it will go well," Marinette rolled on to her back to stare at the ceiling. "But I have to try. I have to tell him how I feel. I have to be brave."

Adrien arrived at school the next day with as little fanfare as possible. He'd managed to convince the Gorilla to drop him off just down the street from school, hoping that arriving without his driver, he would make a little less commotion with his presence. He was wrong. Just walking into school caused a twitter-pated group of girls to stop him instantly. _You would think they'd be use to me by now,_ he straightened his shoulders and fixed a camera ready smile to his face.

Not for the first time in the last twenty-four hours, Adrien was grateful that he had spent most of his life pretending everything was great, while he moped internally. The first time had been last night, when Ladybug had told him that she liked someone else. His heart had broken with so few words, but he had still managed to smile for his lady.

He was fortunate that his cataclysm hadn't been required to defeat the akuma. He ran around the rooftops of Paris, willing everything to go back to normal, and terrified that it wouldn't. He knew before he confessed to her, that it wouldn't go well for him. His bad luck would never allow it. Adrien had finally returned to his room after hours of dancing about the city roof tops, and dropped into his open bedroom window, Plagg dropping the transformation without being told. As usual, paranoia chilled the blood in his veins. What if, by some stroke of bad luck, someone had looked in on him?

He shook his head, knowing that was next to impossible as he watched Plagg circle the cheese plate that he had left sitting near his computer. "This is why you should stick with cheese," Plagg said though a mouth full of camembert, but a hint of sadness in the kwami's tone. "You always know where you stand with cheese."

Plagg hadn't said much of anything else the rest of the night, and Adrien knew that Plagg's silence, was his way of being nice. A shrill voice snapped Adrien out of his reverie, as a blonde figure rushed him, slamming into his right and clamping an arm around his.

"Good morning, Chloe," Adrien flashed a polite smile, as they made their way up the stairs, Sabrina shadowing them at a good pace.

"Adrekins," Chloe began in a sing-song tone, which usually indicated she wanted a favor. "Daddy is having a party on Friday," she popped out her lower lip in a pout. "You know how dreadfully boring these things are. Would you come with me? It'd be so much more tolerable if you were there. It's at 7 at the hotel. Be there." She tightened her grip around his bicep.

"I can't Chloe," he smiled. "I have a photoshoot that night." _I won't mention that it ends at 7,_ he thought. He didn't relish the idea of being dragged around all night at another one of the mayor's events. Chloe's pout deepened. "I'm sorry."

"Maybe I can have Daddy make photoshoots illegal for the day," Chloe's grip tightened to a painful level as they walked in the door to the classroom, and Adrien has to force himself not to wince and pull away.

"It wouldn't work," Adrien chuckled. "Father is preparing for the summer line, and wants to get this shoot in before he leaves for Milan."

"Fathers," Chloe snapped as if the very word disgusted her. "They really do ruin all the fun." She stomped her foot, petulantly, and dropped his arm quickly when the teacher raised her voice to call class to order.

Nino greeted him with his usual energetic high-five, and Adrien turned to greet Alya and Marinette. "Good Morning, Alya. Good Morning Marinette," he said. Alya just nodded.

"Uh…" Marinette stammered. "G.G…uh…Good Morning," she finally said. Adrien turned back to the front of the classroom where the teacher began discussing the lesson. Adrien didn't pay particular attention. He knew it would come back to bite him, but he was too broken hearted to care.

The day progressed in very much the say way. Adrien was on autopilot. He was whisked home at lunch time, to the massive, empty dining room where he took his meals alone. Natalie ran though the list of things he had for the rest of the day. He pretended to pay attention as he pushed his lunch around his plate. He knew his schedule well enough after all.

Back at school the rest of the day went by quickly. The only thing that had distracted him was Psychics. After the final bell rang, he made his way to the gym for fencing practice. He had hope that this would help him stay distracted but all is did was dishearten him as he was soundly beaten in every sparring match. After a lecture from D'Argencort he retreated to the locker room to change and found a familiar figure leaning against the wall near the door. He pulled of his fencing mask, "Marinette?" he asked confused. She snapped to attention, staring at him with wide almost panic stricken eyes.

"Uh…" Marinette began, "Hi…uh…Adrien."

"Did you need something?" Adrien asked.

"No," Marinette practically shouted, "Well…yes…uh…" she paused and took a deep breath. "Do you have a minute?"

"Sure," Adrien said tucking the mask under his arm. "Is everything ok?"

"Depends on your definition of ok," Marinette mutter under her breath, and Adrien laughed. "Oh god," Marinette groaned. "Of all the…" another deep breath. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm just nervous."

"Do…I make you nervous?" Adrien asked, and when Marinette's face turned bright pink, he knew. He sighed. He had always wondered why she was so off put by him. Why she could be so straight forward and passionate around everyone else and why only around him she became unsure. She liked him. With that thought, his stomach dropped painfully.

"Adrien," Marinette met his gaze a confidence in her eyes that she hadn't had a moment before. "I like you. I have for a while." She wrung her hands together, thumb her right absently rubbing the palm of her left. "Hence, the reason I turn into an idiot around you."

His mind screamed at him just to invite her to coffee. To talk to her. To get to know her better. He liked Marinette. He really did. She was sweet, kind, passionate, talented and went out of her way to help everyone around her. Quite frankly, she was wonderful. But, his heart reminded him that she wasn't Ladybug.

He didn't want to do this. Why had she picked today of all days to tell him? He knew exactly how she was going to feel. It was exactly the way he felt right now, and it hurt him even more to know that he was going to be the reason for her pain. "I like someone else," he said, hating that he was repeating Ladybug's words to him.

"Oh," she said, her eyes glossing over before she looked down at her feet. Adrien looked at the ceiling cursing his bad luck again, as his friend stood before him on the verge of tears. "I understand." Marinette had turned her bright eyes to him, still glossy with unshed tears.

"I don't want anything to get weird between us," Adrien continued, speaking quickly. "I mean, you're my friend and I'd hate…"

"You consider me your friend?" Marinette interrupted staring at him.

"Yeah," he squirmed under her gaze, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't want to be presumptuous, but yes." There was a long pause and Adrien held his breath. _Was that the wrong thing to say?_ He wondered.

"I'm glad you consider me your friend," Marinette's face lit up with her smile, and Adrien could finally relax a little. "I was just a little surprised. I always get so tongue tied around you that I thought I had made a terrible impression."

"The opposite actually," Adrien nodded. "You make a wonderful impression."

"And don't worry," she waved a hand in the space between them. "Things won't get weird I promise. I mean," She smiled thoughtfully, "You never know until you try right?" He saw his pain echoed in her eyes as her words struck a familiar cord in him. "Anyhow, I should go. I'm going to be late." She pickup her book bag from the ground beside her. "I'll see you around."

"Definitely," Adrien gave a sharp nod, and Marinette waved goodbye and disappeared as she closed the gym door behind her.

"So," Plagg's voice cut in right beside his ear, and Adrien jumped slightly. "Marinette."

"Yeah," Adrien shoved the locker room door open and made his way to his bag. "I feel awful Plagg."

"I tell you man," Plagg shrugged. "Cheese is the way to go."

"Very funny," Adrien glared at his kwami. "The worst part is," he said pulling his gear off and shoving it roughly in his bag. "I know exactly how she feels."

"Not much you can do about it," Plagg said floating down to sit beside his equipment bag.

"I could ask Alya if she's ok," Adrien said pulling his clothes back on.

"Nope," Plagg shook his head, his tail twitching slightly. "That just makes you look weird."

"Yeah," Adrien sighed. "I guess you're right."

"Too bad Chat Noir isn't closer to her," Plagg said floating over to Adrien's back pack and pulling out a piece of emergency cheese. "Then you two could talk."

"Not a bad idea Plagg."


	2. Chapter 2

"Girl," Alya said with a frown, "Are you sure? I might be able to convince my mom to call someone else to babysit."

"Its fine Alya," Marinette laughed. "You've been here for two days already. I'm fine, see." She waved her arms indicating that she was unharmed.

"Adrien," Alya narrowed her eyes, testing. Marinette flinched a little but at least there were no tears this time.

"See?" She grinned. "I told you I'm fine. Maybe by Monday I won't even have the flinch anymore." Alya's face fell as she watched her. "It…well…I will be fine. I might not be there yet, but I will be. But you go." Alya quirked an eyebrow. "You've been amazing all weekend. The best friend that anyone could have asked for. I mean…you didn't even mention Nino, and I know the kind of self-control that required."

"How did you know what I was thinking?" Alya asked laughing.

"We've been best friends for so long that words are not even required," Marinette smiled.

"I just worry," Alya said glancing at her phone. "First loves are intense, and it just sucks that yours ended like this." Marinette shrugged. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay? At least until your parents get home?"

"I'll be fine," Marinette laughed. "You had everything covered. Chocolate, ice cream, trash talking."

"The latter you didn't even partake in," Ayla scowled playfully.

"It's not Adrien's fault," Marinette shook her head. "It's not like he was mean. Trash talking just didn't feel right."

"You're not even the kind to trash talk even if someone deserved it," Alya rolled her eyes. "Unless of course it involves Chloe." Alya finally pushed herself off of the chaise lounge and grabbed her bag. "God, you don't think it's Chloe that he likes do you?"

"Ugh," Marinette groaned. "I hope not. She'd be insufferable if they started dating."

"She's already insufferable," Alya reminded her. Her phone rang, and Alya answered without even looking. "I'm just leaving Marinette's now Mom. Unless…" she paused and Marinette shook her head. "Alright. I'm on my way home." She disconnected the call and wrapped Marinette in a giant hug. "I love you, girl" she said as she squeezed tighter.

"I love you too, Alya," Marinette giggled. Alya let her go and with a final appraising look, rushed out the door. Marinette slumped in her chaise and grabbed a pillow, clutching it to her chest. She saw a flash of red dart toward her, as Tikki settled on her knee. "I really am fine Tikki," she smiled.

"I know," Tikki smiled brightly. "Alya is an amazing friend."

"Yeah," Marinette sighed, picking Tikki up and placing her on her shoulder. "I'm really lucky to have her." She made her way over to her desk, and flipped on the computer screen. Her background of Adrien stared back at her. With a few clicks of the keys, she changed her background, to something more benign, and pulled up the new design that she had been working on. Tikki opting to float up to her bed for a nap.

Marinette stared with a critical eye at the pattern. It was a simple design, all things considered. Just a light green sundress that she had been working on for Alya's birthday in a few weeks. She wrinkled her nose. "The sleeves still don't look right."

"Purr-sonally," a very familiar voice came from the window to her right, "I think it looks lovely." Marinette's heart stopped as she very slowly turned to the window, to see Chat Noir perched on the open window frame, a smirk on his face. _He doesn't know, does he?_ She thought, willing her heart to start up again. It was the first thing that crossed Marinette's mind any time she saw Chat in her civilian form. "Chat got your tongue, Princess?" he winked, his pun giving Marinette the moment she needed to collect herself.

"What are you doing here Chat Noir?" she asked, her eyes narrowed. Chat had a look that she had never seen on him before-as if he really was a naughty kitty that had gotten into the cream

"Well," Chat cleared his throat, his eyes darting away from her. "I heard a rumor."

"About what?" she asked, her heart hammering in her chest as she thought of all the world ending possibilities.

"About you," he fixed her with a sad gaze.

"Me?" Marinette asked, her voice coming out a worried squeak.

"Yes," Chat said. "It appears that you and I are in very similar situations." Marinette stiffened. _Which situation is he talking about?_ She wondered. _There is no way he could know about me,_ she took a deep calming breath. There hadn't been a slip up, she hadn't accidently revealed anything to anyone. Which left only one possibility. This was about her botched confession to Adrien.

This wasn't the first time that she had thought about the parallels between her situation and Chat's. It had been on the forefront of her mind all weekend. Chat had been the one to give her the courage to even attempt this after all. She understood what he was going through more than anyone else. She watched Chat, and wondered if perhaps as herself, she could do what Ladybug couldn't-lend a friendly ear.

"I had my heart broken recently too," Chat sighed heavily, clearly mistaking her silence for confusion.

"Wait," Marinette shook her head vigorously. "How do you even know about that? How do you even know where I live?"

"I've been here before, remember?" Chat smiled. "A couple of times now."

"Oh," Marinette remembered. "Evillustrator, and the Puppeteer."

"Can I come in?" Chat asked watching her closely.

"Oh, yes, please." At her invitation, Chat slipped in the open window but sat on the open window's sill. Marinette still wasn't sure what to say, her heart went out to Chat. "Can I assume that it was Ladybug who…broke your heart?" she asked hesitantly. She noticed that Chat, flinched at the mention of her alter ego's name.

"Do you feel comfortable talking about it?" Chat asked. "I know we don't know each other particularly well," he rubbed the back of his neck in an adorably embarrassed gesture, and Marinette couldn't help but smile. "However…" Chat continued, "I don't know anyone else who is in this kind of situation."

"The whole being rejected by the person you like thing," Marinette nodded. She met Chat's hopeful eyes and felt like perhaps her good luck had brought him here. Alya had been amazing, there was no doubt about it. But Chat understood what it felt like, he understood that sense of terrible embarrassment that flooded through her every time she recalled standing outside the locker room, waiting for Adrien. That false sense of hope that had surged though her in the moment after her confession, only to be dashed against the rocks by a look in his eyes.

Marinette couldn't help but feel guilty. She was the entire reason that Chat felt like this. He was hurting because of her, but perhaps she could offer him some sort of solace. _Aren't we an odd pair,_ she thought as her heart clenched painfully, wondering if Chat recalled his confession in the same great detail that she did her own. "I wouldn't even know where to start," Marinette shrugged shyly.

"I get what you mean," Chat smirked and finally stood, making his way into her room. He looked around, his eye landing on the wall behind her. "Is this him?" Marinette spun around, her shoulders sagging when her eyes landed on the pictures of Adrien that she had collected that adorned her wall.

"Yeah," she said standing up and pulling down all but one of the pictures. She left up the picture that Rose had taken of herself, Adrien, Alya and Nino at school. With all of the pictures that she had so diligently cut out of magazines gone, her wall looked a little bare. "His name is Adrien."

"So…" she could feel Chat's eyes on her, even though she couldn't see him. "What's so special about him?"

"What's so special about Ladybug?" she retorted a little too defensively.

"What's special about My Lady?" Chat asked with a laugh. "I'm not sure there is enough time to explain." He paused, and Marinette just waited. "She brilliant. She always knows just what to do." He leaned against the chair she had just vacated. "Just look at what she does. Every time we face an Akuma, she knows exactly what to do."

"Isn't that just her power?" Marinette asked. "You know, her lucky charm?"

"No," Chat said firmly a dreamy smile on his face as he looked at Marinette. "Yes, she does have her lucky charm, but she is still the one to figure out how to use it. And she's so brave. So beautiful. And the most amazing thing is that none of that seems to matter to her. The beauty, the brains, the bravery…it's like she doesn't even realize how special she is, she just thinks of what she can do to help other people, to protect them. It's amazing."

Chat's eyes may have been on her, but he had a faraway look in his eyes, like he wasn't seeing what was right in front of him. Marinette couldn't have been more grateful. Hearing him talk about her like that, was causing heat to flood her face, and there was nothing she could do to hide it. _I had no idea he thought of me like that,_ she thought.

Ladybug brought out the best of what she was, she always felt more confident as Ladybug, but no matter what she was still Marinette. Bumbling, clumsy, daydreaming Marinette. The mask hid who she really was, hid her insecurities from the world. When Chat had confessed, she had assumed that it was the mask that he had fallen for. But the way he waxed on about her, had nothing to do with the mask. They were the things he saw behind it, the small part of Marinette that she maintained as Ladybug. _And he called me beautiful,_ Marinette fought to not smile wider when he said this.

"So," Chat shook his head. "What about Adrien? What's so special about him?" Marinette rolled her eyes and looked at Chat. "Is it because he's a model?"

"No," Marinette snapped. "Do you think I'm that shallow to like someone only because they were handsome?"

"Easy princess," Chat held up his hands in surrender. "It is a valid question though."

"That's true," Marinette conceded but her glare was still fixed on Chat. "Half the girls in Paris are in love with him for that reason. But no…being a model is not what makes him special." She looked at the picture, the one picture that was left on her wall with Adrien in it. "He works so hard," she continued feeling a little put on the spot. She had never felt like she had to explain why she like Adrien before and it was a little embarrassing to be explaining all this to Chat Noir.

"He works hard?" Chat asked, prompting her.

"Yes," Marinette nodded. "It sounds weird, I know, but…he's rich and famous and handsome. He could have anything he wanted with a snap of his fingers. I mean," She laughed and rolled her eyes, "look at Chloe." Chat laughed. "But he's not like that at all. He's sweet, and shy for some reason. He'd give you the shirt off his back if he thought it would help. He's got all this pressure to perform. He's got every eye in France on him, his father is a famous designer and I'm sure there is a lot of pressure there, and he gets straight A's at school. He…works so hard to make everyone else happy…I guess I admire that." She finally got the nerve to look Chat in the eye, and he was looking at her like she had grown a second head. "Did I say something weird?"

"No," Chat smiled softly. "Not at all."

 _Authors Note: Thanks for reading the first two chapters of Square. I hope you enjoyed it._

 _To be honest, this is the first time I've ever published a fanfic. I tend to lurk around in the back of a fandom quietly. I plan on updating this story once a week, as I polish the chapters and finish it off. (I'm terrible at ending stories)._

 _Please review!_

 _-Ness_


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien had waited for Marinette to show up at school. He'd gotten there early in hope of talking to her, even though he had no idea what to say. They had talked for hours. It had been incredibly weird at first, but eventually they had finally found a rhythm. He felt a little better after talking to her. At least he felt a little less alone. He had been floored at the way Marinette had described him. He hadn't thought she was the kind of person to only be attracted by his face, but the fact that she could see past the mask he wore as Adrien, had made his heart stop for a minute.

She was right. He was under an obscene amount of pressure to be perfect. To always say the right thing, to do the right thing, to make the grades. He had just never thought that anyone had seen him work for it. _She's a lot more perceptive than I thought,_ he smiled to himself as the bell rang and he took his seat. He didn't miss the glare Alya sent his way, as he asked "Is Marinette ok?"

"You should be a little more specific," Alya raised an eyebrow.

"I meant since she isn't here," Adrien clarified as he pointed to her empty seat.

"Probably just late," Alya resumed glaring.

"Alya," Nino shot a look at his girlfriend.

"I have to defend my girl," Alya glared at Nino and to his credit, Nino just adjusted his glasses. But shot Adrien a very confused look. Adrien had thought about talking to Nino about the Ladybug situation. But that would raise far too many questions. He had never even thought about telling Nino what had happened with Marinette. That was too personal, too private. And Alya, in spite of her anger at him, clearly hadn't told Nino either. Adrien just shook his head, and Nino-thankfully-got the idea that he shouldn't ask.

"I don't need defending Alya," Marinette's voice cut quietly into the conversation. Adrien snapped his eyes to where her voice had come from, to see that somehow, she had snuck into her seat beside Alya without his notice. He had tried to smile at her but his guilt overwhelmed him. Guilt at having to reject her, guilt at having snuck to her house that very night to offer her what comfort he could only to find her crying into a bowl of ice cream with her best friend. Guilt at having spent every available moment, between photoshoots, fittings and interviews, lurking outside of her house waiting to talk to her alone, to make sure that she was ok. But talking to her had made him feel better, and it seemed to make her feel better too. She met his eyes, without fear or shame, a light embarrassed blush that crept over her cheeks.

"Good morning Marinette," he managed to sound calm, even though his heart raced from his guilt.

"Good morning Adrien," She tried to smile back, but he noticed that her smile didn't light up her eyes the way it usually did.

"Marinette, Adrien," Ms. Bustier called. "Please pay attention."

"Sorry Ms. Bustier," they responded and Adrien turned back around to face the front. Class wasn't anything special. But once again Adrien had a hard time concentrating. He knew that Marinette was ok, but he wanted to talk to her. He wanted to talk to her the way that he had last night, her at ease making jokes and laughing.

Once again at lunch, he was whisked back home. He uncharacteristically inhaled his food and headed back to school, with little more than a glance from Natalie. He waited on the front steps of the school, until he saw Marinette, and waved.

"Hi Adrien," she said and the uncertainty in her voice bothered him. They'd been so at ease the night before, with him outside of his Adrien mask.

"I…uh…just wanted to see how you were," he said.

"Oh," Marinette looked down at her feet. "I'm fine. I'm really sorry about Alya though. She's a little defensive when it comes to me."

"You're lucky," Adrien chuckled. "I probably deserve it."

"No," Marinette met his gaze for the first time since they began to speak. "No you don't. I…appreciated your honesty." She beamed, but there was something behind her eyes that he couldn't quite put a finger on.

After school, he had a photo shoot. He tried to zip through it, but it still felt like it took forever. Once safely in his room, he paced.

"You want to go talk to her again," Plagg landed on his desk, sitting and staring at him.

"Yes," Adrien collapsed in his desk chair. "I want to talk to her again."

"You don't think it's a little selfish?" Plagg asked though a stuffed mouth.

"What?"

"That you keep showing up at her house like that," Plagg swallowed his cheese. "Why do you keep going?" Adrien sat back. "You spent two days hovering around her house like some sort of stalker, and now you want to rush back to see how she feels after seeing you at school. It's a little weird."

"You're right," Adrien frowned. "I am being a little weird." That thought worked…for two days. Two days before he found that he couldn't stay away, and he flew across the rooftops to Marinette's house, and knocked on her window with a rakish smile, delight dancing in his masked eyes.

Six Months Later:

Marinette sat in front of her sewing machine, the humming setting her at ease, while she waited for the inevitable. Chat Noir had been coming around regularly since that night, and she was expecting him any minute. Marinette smiled to herself as she recalled so many conversations with Chat.

At first they had just consoled each other, after that she spent an awful lot of time talking about the awkwardness that she had felt around Adrien. Chat didn't quite understand it, until the first Akuma attack since Chat's confession hit.

Marinette had barely made it home and caught her breath, before she heard the tell-tale tap of his claws on her window. She rushed to open it and Chat slinked in, looking down trodden. "It was weird," he had slumped on to the chaise. Marinette had held up a hand and darted down stairs, grabbing a few things to eat and a few drinks before darting back up to her room. "I really didn't think it would be that weird," he said as he took the cookie she offered.

"I know the feeling," Marinette took a seat beside him. She had been there, noticed how he couldn't quite look her in the eye. Noticed how it seemed to take longer than normal to defeat the akuma. "It's like there is something unresolved between you. As if…there's a wall that you put there yourself."

"Exactly," Chat slumped lower on the wall.

"It'll get easier," Marinette placed her hand on his arm sympathetically. "I promise."

"And you have to face him every day feeling like this," Chat bit roughly into the cookie.

"It gets easier," Marinette said as she shrugged. "This is the first time that you have really seen Ladybug since it happened. It's bound to be awkward."

"These cookies are great though," Chat said with his mouth full. He groaned miserably, "I couldn't even pun right."

"Oh no," Marinette rolled her eyes. "However will the world survive without your puns?"

"My puns are fantastic," Chat said grabbing another cookie. "Pun-tastic, if you will." Marinette couldn't help but giggle.

From then on, it had gotten a little easier, for both of them. Though Marinette had nearly choked the first time Adrien had invited her to hang out. She had been in full blow panic until Chat had stopped by that night.

"Why?" she yelled and Chat flinched. "Why would he invite me anywhere?"

"I thought you two were friends?" Chat watched her reactions with a flabbergasted expression.

"We are," Marinette sighed.

"Then I don't see what the problem is princess," he grinned.

"The problem, Chat," she glared. "Is that I'm still a spaz around him."

"You been getting better," Chat assured her. "You hardly tell me about you freaking out around him anymore. Are you two going to be alone?"

"No," Marinette shook her head.

"Then don't worry," Chat shrugged confidently. "Just pretend you're talking to me."

Marinette smiled as she changed the spool of thread on her machine. _Six months,_ she thought, shaking her head slightly, very aware of the moronic grin on her face. She never would have believed if someone had told her that Adrien would become a good friend. They'd spent a lot more time together now than they ever had before. It depressed Marinette that it would all be coming to an end when they graduated in a few months.

It had been Chat who had finally convinced her to try for the summer internship with Gabriel Agretse. Chat had taken it a step farther when he suggested that she ask Adrien for his opinion on her submission. She was grateful that the embarrassment had finally subsided around him, but she was still worried about asking him.

To her surprise, Adrien had been ecstatic to help her. She had just come home from coffee with him, and he had listened and commented on each one of her designs. She been so excited about her meeting, that she had rushed home to start working on a mockup of the design she and Adrien had agreed would most likely catch his father's attention.

 _Speaking of Chat,_ Marinette thought, her heart fluttering as she gazed expectantly at the open window. She had only recently begun to realize that he had captured her heart. It had come on so slowly that she had been in too deep before she realized what was happening. She stood up from her sewing machine and put the blouse on the form near her desk.

She had fallen for Chat Noir, and this made things utterly more complicated than she was prepared to deal with. They were friends, they'd been there for each other though their respective heart breaks, and now she was head over heels for the person whose heart she had broken. Marinette shook her head, but whether at the blouse or her situation she wasn't entirely certain.

Marinette saw a flash of black in her open window, "Hello," she greeted, trying to keep her tone even, as her heart leapt to her throat.

"I take it that your coffee date went well," he said humor in his tone.

"Haha," she said, "Very funny. You know very well it wasn't a date."

"Well," she saw Chat shrug out of the corner of her eye, "What else am I supposed to call it? Business meeting is way too formal."

"That's true I guess," Marinette smirked. She plopped comfortably back down in her chair and pulled out her book to check on the pattern for the bottoms, smiling brightly at Chat. "I do have you to thank for this too."

"I think Alya did most of the convincing," Chat crossed his arms.

"Yes," Marinette rolled her eyes. "But you were sort of the straw that broke the camel's back."

"Happy to be the final straw princess," Chat swept his arms in a gentlemanly bow and Marinette giggled. "Which design did you two decide on?" he crossed the distance between them in a few long strides and glanced over her shoulder. "He must have good taste, this one is my favorite." Marinette looked up at Chat, and noticed how close he really was. Chat had one hand casually resting on the back of her chair, and the other resting on her desk next to her sketch book. His body curved around her only just not touching hers. She studied his profile, and her heart skipped. She tore her gaze away from him, her cheeks feeling hot.

She had sworn to herself, once she had realized the extent of her feelings that Chat was off limits. She tried to convince herself that she was mistaking his kindness for a deeper affection. But Marinette also knew that she was lying to herself. She suddenly found herself in that other life that she had briefly considered when Chat had first confessed to her. The one where she was in love with him. _But where would we even go from here?_ She thought stiffening.

It was only a few more months until graduation. She was waiting on her acceptance letters, in particular one to a design school in Paris. She and Chat had talked a lot but only ever about her plans. About her college dreams, about her application for the Agreste internship. He had never once mentioned any plans for school. Marinette was fairly certain that he was the same age as her, but she had always stopped herself from asking personal questions.

Even worse, she was Ladybug. Every day that she kept that to herself, was like a twist of a knife in her stomach. She had resolved to keep her identity from Chat, but now…she was falling in love with him. Was it really fair to keep this away from him? There was still Hawk Moth to worry about.

Chat must have noticed the change in her mood, "Princess, are you ok?" His breath caressed her ear and she resisted the urge to melt into him.

"Yeah," Marinette said a little too quickly. She shot to her feet, trying to move away from Chat, but lost her balance. She let out a sound that was a bizarre combination of a shriek and a whine, but it died in her throat as she collided with a very warm chest. Marinette looked up very slowly to Chat's worried eyes, his face far too close to hers for comfort.

She swallowed, hard. _Say something,_ she begged him in her mind. _Make a joke, tease me, something._ His eyes trailed down her face and settled on her lips. Marinette stopped breathing, she was too focused on the way she felt, how right being in his arms felt, how warm, how…perfect. Chat brought a hand up gingerly to cup her face, and she shivered at the gentle contact, leaning into his hand, and noticed how his breath caught when she did.

"Is this ok?" he asked breathlessly, as he threaded his fingers through her hair.

She wanted to scream her answer, but barely managed to whisper, "Yes." She felt him shift, and he halted a breath away from her lips.

"What about this?" she felt his breath dance across her lips, and she leaned forward and closed the gap between them, pressing her lips gently against his. His arms wrapped around her as he slanted his lips over hers, pulling them closer together. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him take her weight. She wasn't sure she could have remained upright if he pulled away just now.

After what felt like an eternity and not long enough at the same time, Chat pulled away panting. Marinette had to lean against her desk for support. "I…" he stared, looking at her disbelieving. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Was it…" she watched him closely. "Was it not ok?"

"What are you talking about?" Chat sighed contentedly. "It was incredible. I just…I've never come here expecting that. Expecting anything."

"I know," Marinette smiled. He leaned in closer, tip of his nose dancing across the skin of her cheek. Chat reached down and took her hand, twining their fingers together. He claimed her lips again, and she couldn't help the contented sigh that escaped her lips.

 _Authors Note: I'm a little overwhelmed by the amount of people who followed and favorited this. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! And a huge THANK You to everyone who reviewed. It means a lot to me to hear what you think about the story.  
_

 _I had some fun with protective Alya. Let's face it, she is an amazing best friend and would totally be the first on the 'hate Adrien' bandwagon if that's what Marinette wanted. I'm hoping to have another chapter out in a few more days._

 _Hope you all enjoy it._

 _-Ness_


	4. Chapter 4

Hawk Moth had finally been defeated.

Plagg had rested and eaten while Adrien had dealt with…everything. After what felt like days but in reality had only been a few hours, Adrien had transformed again. He ran along the rooftops. The normally breathtaking lights and sights of the city faded into the background, in to a dull blur, as Chat Noir bounded about, desperate to clear his head and had ended up in his favorite spot; the top of Eiffel Tower. He sighed heavily and buried his head in his hands. It was all just too much. _Just don't think about it for a while,_ Adrien thought, looking out at Paris sprawled out beneath him. _That's best._

"I see you had the same idea that I did," Ladybug's voice came from above him.

"So even you need to escape sometimes?" he asked as she dropped down to sit beside him.

"We all do Chat," she said sagely as she glanced back the way he had come. "It's been a crazy few days." Chat nodded noticing something dark in her tone.

"Do you need to talk?" he asked. Ladybug sighed heavily, and shook her head.

"Just some drama on my civilian side," she shrugged. "But thank you for asking Chat." They sat there in a peaceful silence for a long time.

"So what happens now?" he asked, looking at her from the corner of his eyes. It had taken months of work, but he was finally at ease around his lady once again. Things were very different. He had Marinette and falling in love again had helped. But a small part of him would always love Ladybug, and that hurt him more than he would ever admit. It felt wrong, when he was so happy with Marinette.

"We wait," she said. "We keep watch. Tikki told me that it's rare, but that problems that require our unique skills can crop up more than once in a lifetime." Chat nodded. Plagg had told him very much the same thing only a few hours ago.

Adrien had been panicked. "Sorry kid," Plagg had grinned at him. "You are still stuck with me." Plagg had seen through Adrien's panic; Adrien was more worried about being alone more than ever. He finally had friends, had Plagg-so something sort of like family. His father…he had no idea what his relationship with his father was going to be like after all of this.

There was also something huge that had been weighing on him. Something wonderful. Something that made him worry that he'd lose everything he had fought so hard to get.

"Chat I need…"

"My Lady I…"

They both laughed nervously. "Go ahead Chat," Ladybug smiled at him. He took a deep breath and mussed up his courage.

"I was accepted to a study abroad program," He watched her carefully for her reaction, and her eyes widened as she processed the information. Her gaze shifted to his shoulder, but she didn't say anything for a long while. "I'm not sure if I should go. I was ready to decline the offer, but with Hawk Moth defeated…"

"It opens up your options," Ladybug finished for him, still focused on a spot near his shoulder. "Have you spoken to your girlfriend yet?" She asked teasingly. They didn't talk about their personal lives. When he had finally kissed Marinette, he had told Ladybug, expecting her to be angry. He was Chat Noir pursuing a civilian after all. The whole reason that they had never revealed their identities to each other was to protect their civilian lives in case Hawk Moth ever managed to get a hold of one of them.

Surprisingly, she hadn't been angry. She never gave a reason as to why her opinion softened, and Adrien never thought to question his good luck. "No," Chat said, finally answering Ladybug's question. "I haven't talked to her about it."

"You really should," Ladybug said. "I don't think she'd ever forgive you if you made the decision without talking to her at least." She rose to her feet, clasping her yo-yo in one hand.

"Wait," Chat rose as well. "Didn't you have something to say too?" Ladybug froze. The silence stretching between them.

"It wasn't that important," she said after a while, but Chat noticed something was off about her voice. "But know," she finally looked him in the eyes, her bright blue gaze blazing with pride and something else. "Know that if you decide to go abroad, that I've got your back. Things will be quiet here for a while." Chat watched her expression soften. "I'll miss you. I'll even miss your ridiculous puns."

"My puns are nothing short of purr-fection," Chat posed dramatically eliciting a giggle from Ladybug.

"Sure they are," Ladybug winked. "What I'm trying to say is don't hold back. I can hold down the fort here for as long as I need too. And if anything happens, I know you have my back." Chat felt as if a small weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Always, My Lady," he took her hand and bowed elegantly, the same way he had a thousand times before. When he rose, he met her eyes for a second before she looked away and he could have sworn that there were tears in them. Ladybug let her yo-yo fly and disappeared into the night without another word. They didn't need to say anything.

Adrien sat there for a long time, thinking about what Ladybug had said. She was right. Marinette would kill him if he didn't at least tell her what was going on. Especially if he decided to stay.

Things weren't serious yet, but they were certainly getting serious. The problem he had, was that she didn't know he was Adrien. The one who broke her heart in the first place. He knew he had to tell her, both about school and who he really was. He owed her that. He didn't know how she would react, but he knew they could work through it. _I hope we can,_ he thought.

That was a conversation for later though. He made his way home, dropping in his open window, and no sooner released his transformation, and his phone rang. When he caught a glimpse of the caller ID he answered the phone immediately.

"Nino," Adrien greeted his best friend. "What's up?"

"We have reason to celebrate dude," Nino shouted through the phone. Adrien could hear Nino's parent's excited chatter in the background.

"You got into film school?" Adrien asked delighted.

"Way to ruin the surprise," Nino laughed. "Of course I did. After that killer submission, how could they reject me?"

"They couldn't," Adrien said, hiding the grimace from his voice as his eyes drifted over to his own acceptance letter to a much different school.

"We're going out to celebrate as a family," Nino called from the phone, snapping Adrien's attention back to his friend's good news "But tomorrow, I want to go out with you and the girls." Adrien's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the girls. Of course Nino would want to celebrate with his longtime girlfriend Alya, but 'girls' meant that Marinette would be there too, and it was getting harder and harder for Adrien to keep his affections for the girl simply to Chat Noir.

 _Not to mention,_ Adrien thought, _Chat has to have a very important talk with Marinette…very soon._

"Sounds great," Adrien smiled. "Where do you want to go tomorrow?"

The next afternoon, Adrien bolted down the stairs, intent on getting to Nino's as quickly as possible. "Adrien," his father's voice echoed in the massive entryway. He turned to see his father's piercing blue eyes evaluating him from the top of the stairs, and waited. The familiar panic creeping into his stomach. What if he was told he couldn't go? What if his father was still angry…about everything they'd learned in the last few days? "Where are you off to?" Gabriel asked finally.

"Nino's," Adrien replied the picture of calm even though his skin was on fire with the idea of seeing Marinette again. "He got accepted to the film school he applied too, and were are celebrating."

"I understand," Gabriel nodded sharply. Adrien turned to leave, "I would like to speak with you about your plans, however."

"Yes, father," Adrien replied automatically.

"Cambridge is no small feat," Gabriel said, a hint of pride in his voice. "Though there is also your career to consider." Adrien nodded. "Perhaps I can have Natalie…" Gabriel stopped uncharacteristically in the middle of a sentence. "Perhaps over breakfast tomorrow, we can discuss what you plan to do."

Adrien beamed, "Yes, father." Breakfast with his father was incredibly rare, and there was no hiding Adrien's delight at this new development. And with a wave, Adrien left the house, his steps a little lighter than they had been in a long time. He made it to Nino's twenty minutes later, and stopped in his tracks. Just a half a block away he saw Marinette and Alya in what appeared to be a very heated discussion. He tried not to eavesdrop and made his way immediately to the front door.

"I get not telling me about the rest of it," Alya's voice came up from where she stood, loud and angry. "But how the hell could you not tell me about dating Chat Noir?" Adrien was grateful that he was nowhere near them, as his gulp was audible.

"I'm sorry, Alya," Marinette voice came so quietly that Adrien had to strain to hear her response. Before he could hear what Alya said in response, Nino ripped the door open and yanked him inside.

"Congratulations Nino," Adrien greeted his friend with a grin, but Nino looked expectant. "What?"

"Do we have two reasons to celebrate today?" Nino asked.

"It's your day Nino," Adrien deflected.

"Like I care about that," Nino shook his head. "I want to know if you got into the school of your dreams dude." Adrien swallowed, hard. "You did, didn't you? Holy…Cambridge! This is amazing!"

"I don't want anyone knowing yet," Adrien grabbed Nino by the arm and pulled him a little farther from the door.

"Why the hell not?"

"I…"Adrien stammered. "I don't know if I'm going yet," he whispered finally. Nino stared wide eyed at him. "I just don't want to tell anyone until I know for certain."

"This is about Marinette isn't it?" Nino asked.

"Wh…uh…"Adrien jaw went slack and for a minute he forgot how to talk.

"Come on bro," Nino crossed his arms. "I've seen the way you've been looking at her for the last few months. So has Alya. Why do you think we've been inviting you two out with us so often?" Adrien sighed heavily. "You want to tell her, and that's why you've been holding off on the decision about school."

"Yeah," Adrien said with a shrug.

"That's messed up man," Nino watched him closely.

"How the hell is that messed up?" Adrien asked anger and fear bubbling in his chest.

"I love you like a brother Adrien," Nino said "Except not my actual brother 'cause he's an ass." Adrien laughed. "But you cannot tell her how you feel and then leave her here. And you can't stay here for her. She'd never forgive you if you did."

"I've actually been told that last part," Adrien sighed heavily. "What the hell do I do?" Adrien ran a hand though his hair. This was exactly what he'd been dreading. He either had to break up with Marinette, and pursue his dream by attending Cambridge, or give up that dream and stay with the woman he loved. _I love her,_ he looked at the ground. He'd avoided even thinking the words, because the knowledge made his decision harder.

He had been planning on revealing his identity to Marinette as soon as Hawk Moth had been defeated. Now Adrien got to tell her that not only that Chat Noir and Adrien were one in the same, but he would be leaving, and he had no idea when he would return. It just seemed like a cruel twist of fate. Adrien knew that Nino was right, that telling Marinette everything now was just unfair. But the idea of not telling her sent the old, familiar guilt churning in his gut again.

"What do I do, Nino?" he begged.

"I don't know," Nino sighed. "I don't envy you, man." There was a knock at the door, and Adrien sighed straightening up with a smile on his face. Nino scoffed, "I don't know how you do that," Nino patted him on the shoulder as he walked away.

"Do what?"

"Manage to look fine," Nino shot him a sympatric look. "When everything is going to hell inside."

"Years of practice," Adrien smiled as Nino opened the door.

Marinette was wearing a groove in the floorboard of her room. Her eyes kept darting to her window, waiting for Chat to show up. She'd been home from Nino's celebratory party for hours now, and it was well past nightfall.

"What do I do Tikki?" she asked the little red kwami who had been hovering over her shoulder offering comfort. "Chat is leaving. He told me as much…Well…he told Ladybug."

"You gave Adrien advice on practically the same thing," Tikki said, hovering before her and placing her tiny hands on either side of Marinette's nose to stop her movement.

"Giving Adrien advice is hardly the same," Marinette had to cross her eyes to look at the kwami.

"What did you tell Adrien?" Tikki prompted. Marinette sighed heavily. Poor Adrien had been acting out of sorts the entire day. When she had finally managed to pull him away from Nino and Alya, she had demanded to know what was wrong.

"It's nothing," Adrien flashed her a winning smile.

"Don't try to tell me it's nothing," Marinette scowled at him. "You haven't been yourself all day." He had opened his mouth to protest, but it died on his lips and he let out a painful little chuckle.

"You're right," Adrien confessed. "I'm not all here today."

"Care to share," Marinette smiled.

"Don't tell anyone yet," Adrien sighed and looked around to make sure they were alone. "I got accepted to Cambridge."

"What?" Marinette asked, "Adrien. That's amazing!" She threw her arms around him and gave him a frim hug. It was not the first time that she had done this, but even still her heart raced at the contact. She had come to accept recently, that a small part of her, would always care about Adrien. He was her first love after all, she'd never forget that. "Though, I really don't see how that could be a problem. Is your dad not thrilled?"

"He is, actually," Adrien said pulling away from her, his hands remaining on her shoulders. "The problem is not with my father, but about someone I'm going to be leaving behind."

"Oh," Marinette stared into his eyes, everything clicking in to place as she blinked. "I didn't know you were even seeing anyone."

"It hasn't been very long," Adrien heaved a sigh and sat on a nearby bench. Marinette looked for Nino and Alya and found them making their way up the street unaware of the straggling pair behind them. "But I feel…I feel as if I'll be losing something incredibly important to me if I leave."

"Where is she planning on going?" Marinette asked, sliding on to the bench next to him. She couldn't believe that her situation was so close to the one that Adrien was going through, and frankly, she had been struggling with what to say when Chat finally did talk to her.

"She's planning on staying here," Adrien stared hard at her. "Going to school." Marinette sighed.

"Do you plan on asking her to drop everything to follow you?" She asked not brave enough to look in to his eyes.

"God, no," Adrien cringed. "I would never do that to her." Marinette smiled at him. She had expected this response from him. Adrien would be appalled at the very thought of even asking for someone to follow him under such circumstances.

"How do you think she would respond if you gave up your dreams in favor of hers?" she asked. There was a long silence in which Adrien's gaze was drawn out to the busy street around them.

"She'd never forgive me," Adrien said slowly, with a slight smirk at a joke she was not in on. "I know this. But it doesn't make the decision any easier."

"I know what you mean," Marinette leaned back on the bench.

"You do?" he asked quietly, something familiar in his voice that Marinette couldn't quite place.

"Let's just say there is a lot of that going on," Marinette smiled. She felt a warmth cover her hand, and when she looked down, saw Adrien's hand covering her own, as his gaze was still focused far away.

"I don't want to lose her," he whispered, his voice so small and filled with pain. Marinette's heart plummeted. She knew what she had to say, what both she and Adrien had to do. She had known it logically for days, but had not wanted to admit it, least of all to herself.

"Sometimes," Marinette whispered back, fighting her own tears. "We have to let go of what we love the most, and just have hope that it will all work out for the best." Her vision was blurry, as she gave his large warm hand a small friendly squeeze, not knowing what else to do and let go.

"What did you tell Adrien?" Tikki prompted a second time and Marinette sighed snapping out of her reverie.

"I don't want to have to break up with Chat," Marinette slumped on to her chaise, dashing her hand across her cheek to hide her tears.

"What did Alya say?" Tikki said teasing and Marinette smirked. That was one of the best things to come out of this whole mess-Alya finally knew everything. Marinette had been in a position where she had had no choice but to transform in front of her best friend. It had been amazing finally getting to be honest with her best friend about the superhero thing, and as usual she had gained some much needed clarity talking to Alya.

"Alya said exactly the same thing I did," Marinette conceded. "It still doesn't make it any easier."

"And you still don't plan on letting Chat know that you are Ladybug?" Tikki said with a sigh.

Marinette lay back on the chaise, staring at the ceiling. "If he knew…well…I worry that if he knew it may influence his decision to stay, and I don't want him staying for me. He needs to be free to decide what is best for him." Tikki nodded sagely, but there was something akin to exasperation in her eyes. "I have to let him go," She said her eyes shifting to the window, wishing for, and simultaneously dreading Chat's appearance.

"I'm so sorry, Marinette," Tikki whispered as she floated down to Marinette's shoulder and snuggled comfortingly into her neck. Marinette lay there stating at her window for a long time. Tikki eventually gave her time alone and floated off. It wasn't long after too long after that when Chat Noir showed up, looking every bit as depressed as Marinette felt.

"You look beautiful tonight Princess," he crept into her window and sat close beside her on the chaise. Her heart skipped a beat as he leaned over and to place a gentle kiss on her cheek. She turned to him, finding some solace as his lips met hers in a heart rending kiss. She could feel his hesitancy when he broke the kiss, and rested his forehead on hers, "We need to talk."

When Marinette woke the next morning her eyes were blurry from crying. She'd managed to mostly keep it together until Chat left. But when she was finally alone, she let it all go. Neither of them had said the words that hung between them all night. She'd let him go never having said she was Ladybug, never having said that she loved him. Her phone rang beside her, and she picked it up without looking.

"Are you ok?" Alya's voice came though the phone.

"Yeah," Marinette said, her voice breaking. She cleared her throat and repeated the word a little more confidently.

"Don't play with me girl," she could just picture the scowl on Alya's face as she said it. "I'm already on my way. What do you need?"

A week later, Adrien was in the car with his friends, the Gorilla driving them to the airport. He had opted to start his enrollment in the summer program instead of the fall. He was worried about his resolve if he had to spend the summer in Paris, seeing Marinette.

"A private jet to take you to Cambridge," Marinette stared as Nino, Alya and Adrien exited the car and walked through the hanger to the jet where his father would be waiting.

"You should hear the way my father talks about the 'rabble in first class'," Adrien laughed as they all abruptly came to a stop. Adrien extended his and to Nino, who pulled him into a bear hug.

"You don't think I'm letting you go with a handshake do ya?" he asked.

"I suck at making friends," Adrien hugged Nino back. "Thank you for being my first." Nino pulled away looking a little glassy eyed, but managed to punch Adrien playfully in the shoulder. "Alya," he turned to her, and she wore her usual look, somewhere between a smirk and a scowl. "Take care of him." He hugged her.

"Don't let them push you around over there," She whispered as she hugged him back. His gaze fell on Marinette.

He had been waiting for this moment.

He had been dreading this moment.

He had so much that he wanted to say, and he couldn't say anything. He simply stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, squeezing her gently.

"Thank you," he whispered. He didn't want to give her a chance to say anything. He wasn't sure he could hear what she had to say. As he pulled away, he kissed her cheek before whispering "Au revoir, Marinette." She stiffened in his arms, but Adrien immediately let her go and walked to the jet, the door pulled closed immediately behind him.

He flopped into the seat across from his father and looked out the window, to see a still stunned Marinette, with a hand on her cheek staring at the door of the plane, while Alya hit Nino repeatedly on the shoulder not far from where she stood.

"I was not aware of your relationship with my new intern," Gabriel said, not looking up from the papers in front of him.

"She's just a…"the words finally hit him. "Wait…she's your new intern?" Gabriel nodded without looking up. "Does she know?" This time, Gabriel looked up.

"My office should be informing her of my decision next week," Gabriel fixed his son with a passively interested gaze. "Adrien," he pulled off his glasses and made a show of cleaning them, "There are ways to say farewell to friends and ways to say farewell to a lover. The way you said goodbye to Ms. Dupain-Cheng was the latter." He placed his glasses back on his nose.

Adrien decided to ignore what his father had just pointed out, "Do you mind if I tell her? About the internship that is."

"As long as she agrees not to go public with the information until the official announcement," Gabriel gave his son a knowing smile, as Adrien scrambled for his phone and quickly sent a text. He watched through the small window as the phone alert finally shook Marinette out of her daze, and she pulled it out of her purse to look. He watched her blink, once. Twice, before the information seemed to register, and she finally glanced back at the plane, and squinted at the window where he waited. He shot her a thumbs up, and she began to jump up and down in excitement.

"She's rather excitable," Gabriel watched the scene play out as she shot a glance at Alya and then shook her head, shoving the phone quickly back into her purse. "But it appears that she can keep a secret." Gabriel turned his attention back to his papers, and Adrien gave Marinette a small wave though the window. She beamed happily as she waved back to him. As Adrien finally sat back in his seat, he wondered if her cheeks were pinker than normal, or if it was just wishful thinking.

 _Author's Note: First of all, thanks again for all the support. It really means a lot that all of you have been enjoying this so far. Thank you all for everything._

 _I was deliberately vague as to anything Hawkmoth related. Let's face it, as a fandom, we knew what was going down by the third episode. But, the battle with Hawkmoth is not the point of this story. If you want that go check out Kryalla Orchid's 'Tendancies" series. It's incredible and if you haven't already read it, I wonder where have you been hiding?_

 _I hope you all enjoy the new chapter. The next one should be out in a few days._

 _-Ness_


	5. Chapter 5

Four Years Later

Marinette lay wake in bed, staring at the ceiling. She had woken up almost a half an hour ago, and just lay there. _There is something…different,_ she thought, smiling into the darkness of her pre-dawn room. It wasn't panic that had woken her up, or a nightmare, no racing heart or cold sweat or sense of dread. Just something different…good different. This happened sometimes, and Marinette never could properly put her finger on it. It was like the whole world had brightened a little. Like there was no way anything bad could happen. She glanced over at the alarm clock. _Still another few minutes before it goes off_ , she thought, hoping not to wake the still sound asleep Tikki. Or so she thought,

"You are awake early this morning," Tikki's sleepy voice came from right near her head.

"Yeah," Marinette rolled over to stare at the still half asleep kwami.

"Why is that?" she asked rubbing her eyes with a tiny red hand.

"I don't know," Marinette flopped back on to her back to star at the ceiling. "Something just feels different today."

"Bad different?" the kwami's voice was laced with amusement which Marinette found baffling.

"No," Marinette couldn't contain her smile. "Good different. You know….like everything is finally coming together." Tikki made a little squeak, "What is it?" Marinette asked.

"Nothing," Tikki said evasively as she floated down the latter that lead to Marinette's bed. Marinette rolled her eyes. She knew better than to try and get information out of Tikki when she was being evasive, it never went well for her. The alarm finally started blaring at five on the dot, and Marinette pulled herself from her bed.

Her room hadn't changed all that much in the last four years. The walls had been repainted a soothing floral green, the posters of various musicians and bands had been taken down and put away, with the exception of her Jagged Stone poster, which she had framed and hung right back up again. She had properly framed her pictures of her friends, and a few of her better design sketches to adorn the walls, but for the most part-it had stayed the same.

The rest of the house however, had changed drastically. When her parents had gotten the opportunity to move to the country and help her grandmother after hip replacement surgery, they had actually leapt at the chance. Her father especially had been ecstatic about the move, and when her grandmother had passed last year, her mom had suggested that they 'retire'. Of course retirement for them meant running a very tiny bakery, but they loved every second of it. They had hired a young, promising pastry chef to work full time at the shop in Paris, and had told Marinette that were thinking about selling him the business entirely.

The house had been converted it to a large studio where she could receive clients. She had moved her new sewing machine downstairs and had just finished redoing the entire space to reflect the changes. A large luxurious settee, beautiful high end mannequins courtesy of her mentor, Gabriel Agreste, fresh paint in an almost shocking white, and art were all carefully placed in the space. She still couldn't get over her childhood home being changed into a studio for her business, but she was delighted with the outcome.

Marinette changed into her running clothes and stepped into the brisk morning air, and walked the three blocks to Alya and Nino's house. The couple had moved in together a little more than a year ago, and Marinette happened to know that Nino had already bought a ring. Currently he was caught up working on a project, something Marinette understood more than she wanted to admit. Alya stood waiting for her in in front of their building, stretching for their impending run.

"Good Morning," Marinette chirped as she drew close.

"You're weird this morning," Alya smirked.

"I am not," Marinette crinkled her nose, affronted.

"You're not a morning person," Alya said as she took off at a slow run, "And yet you are so chipper. What is it? Did you have a hot date last night?"

"She woke up this way," Tikki called from the pocket of Marinette's coat.

"Really?" Alya said jogging in place as they reached the corner, "That can only mean one thing."

"What does it mean?" Marinette scowled.

"If you haven't pieced it together yet," Alya said upping their pace as they crossed the road, "Then I'm not going to tell you."

"Alya," Marinette groaned. When she had found out about her being Ladybug, Alya and Tikki had developed an incredibly close relationship. The worst part was, as much as Tikki enjoyed being evasive, Alya somehow always puzzled out what Tikki was keeping from them, and was just as insufferable about not giving Marinette details. They fell into a comfortable pace, and Marinette's thoughts began to drift as they always did.

It had been four years….four years since she started her internship with Gabriel Agrestse, four years since Adrien had left to pursue his degree in Physics at Cambridge, four years since she'd seen Chat Noir.

Yes, she spoke to Chat Noir occasionally, they checked in with each other at least once a month. But she hadn't seen him, not once since he left…since the night they had broken up. It killed her that Chat had never come home, even if it was just to visit.

Adrien visited regularly though. Any break he had from school, he came home. He and Marinette didn't talk much in between the visits, but every time he showed up, her heart would race. Marinette wondered if she'd ever be able to move past that. The way he had hugged her, the gentle kiss he had placed on her cheek when he had left for school, burned brightly in her memory.

Her thoughts drifted to what she had accomplished over the last four years. She had sailed through her internship with Gabriel Agreste that summer, and had been over joyed to accept a position working for him while she had been in school. When she had finally graduated, he had offered her a full time position.

Much to Marinette's great dismay, she had had to decline. When he had asked her why, she confessed it had always been her dream to try her hand at her own line. Gabriel had wholeheartedly supported her, and had even decided to sponsor her, most notably for Fashion Week in the spring. He had never done this for a new designer, and there was a lot of buzz about her already simply because of her association with Gabriel.

Alya had, of course, gone to school to get a degree in journalism. It surprised no one, when she somehow managed to get a job immediately out of school at Le Monde. She was the one who had insisted on these morning runs. "They get your brain working," she insisted every morning when Marinette usually showed up whining about the early hour.

"How's Nino?" Marinette panted, realizing that she hadn't seen him in almost a month.

"Still in panic mode," Alya replied through her own heavy breathing. "He's not 'feeling' the end of the movie he's planning on submitting to Cannes."

"Is he remembering to sleep?" Marinette asked. Alya shook her head, and Marinette grimaced. She understood what Nino was going through better than most, and was not looking forward to her own panic mode as Fashion Week approached. The two chatted lightly as they ran for the next hour, Tikki contributing occasionally, until they finally made their way back to Alya's.

"You still haven't figured out why you're in such a good mood?" Alya teased, and Marinette sighed.

"No," she snapped playfully. "My two best friends are being cagey."

"The problem is," Alya said, giving her friend a hug, "You don't pay attention to what happens around you when you are in an 'everything in the world is covered with glitter' mood."

"Can't I just be in the 'everything is covered in glitter mood' and not have to question it?" Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Of course you can," Tikki chimed in. "That's what makes you Marinette."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Alya laughed. They bid each other farewell, and Marinette began the short walk back home, stopping at the bakery as she did every morning.

Michel, the chef her parents had hired, was a little gruff until you got to know him. He beamed at Marinette as she pushed open the door, and promptly handed her a cup of coffee and a croissant. They chatted briefly, as she ate, and then retreated back upstairs to get ready for the day. She showered and dressed in a white wide collar blouse, and a tight black pencil shirt, as she made a pot of coffee and began to go over her schedule for the day.

She flicked the TV on for some background noise, but paid no attention to it. She had a meeting booked for ten with Chloe and Marinette groaned. Chloe had changed somewhat since high school, but not enough in Marinette's opinion to not dread the meeting.

Chloe's father had run a very successful campaign for parliament, and the new national spotlight had forced her somewhat to temper her rather extreme personality. Chloe wanted to launch her own career in fashion, and had commissioned Marinette to work with (for) her in designing her line. _It's work,_ Marinette reminded herself. _It pays the bills._

It wasn't a horrible working relationship, Marinette had a knack for redirecting Chloe so that they could manage to actually work together. She attributed it to both of them maturing. Chloe hadn't gone to school for design, and some of her ideas were, frankly, ridiculous, and more often than not, Chloe was more concerned with how clothes looked on her, rather than how they would look on anyone else. But Chloe had managed to learn to take critiques after all this time, and would listen to Marinette. After almost a year, Chloe's line was about to launch, and Marinette would have more time to devote to finishing her designs for Fashion Week.

At ten am on the button, Marinette unlocked the front door, and retreated back to the kitchen for another cup of coffee.

"After the break," the news anchor began. "We go to Rachel for gossip. France's favorite son returns from overseas, and we have the exclusive as to why." Marinette reached for the remote and flicked the TV back off, just as the bell over the front door sounded. Marinette adjusted her blouse, and check her hair, before walking back out.

"I can't believe you are actually on time Chloe," Marinette called as she walked into the room "What…."whatever she was about to say died in her throat as she looked at someone who was most definitely not Chloe. "Adrien?" She asked not believing her eyes.

Adrien Agreste stood before her a roughish smile lighting up his eyes. He had changed since he left, his shoulders were wider, and he was taller. The last bits of his baby face had disappeared and he was devilishly handsome. It took her breath away, as the old familiar twittering of her heart started up again. "Good Morning, Marinette," he said with a wink, and she was certain her heart stopped all together. She shook her head to clear it and had to remind herself to breathe. He had this effect on her since the day she saw him off at the airport.

 _This is what Alya meant,_ Marinette blinked rapidly not believing her eyes. She thought back to all the other times that she had felt, what Alya had dubbed, her 'everything is covered in glitter mood', had been when Adrien was about to visit. She did not know why she was so attuned to him that she could tell he was near before even knowing he was in the country, but she wasn't about to question that now. Marinette simply watched Adrien, who appeared perfectly content to stare at her, smirking, until she regained her footing.

"What are you…"she began but was promptly interrupted by a screech, as Chloe burst in and slammed against Adrien, nearly knocking his off his feet.

"Adrikiiinns!" her voice was as shrill as ever and right now, had never sounded more like nails on a chalk board to Marinette. "I heard you were back," she coiled around him. "I'm so excited. You have to come to this party for the launch of my new clothing line." Marinette forced herself to take a deep breath, almost grateful for the way that Chloe had interrupted them. It gave her a chance to center herself. "You'll be my date." The last words did make Marinette's blood run cold.

"Sorry Chloe," Adrien smirked expertly extricating himself from her embrace. "I got your invitation, but I have a lecture to attend that night."

"Adrien," Chloe whined, "Can't you take one night off of school? You just got back."

"I came back for school," Adrien stared patiently at her, "As I'm sure you know."

"Wait," Marinette cleared her throat. "You're back?" Adrien smiled at her and nodded. "Like…back back? For good?"

"Watch the news Marinette," Chloe rolled her eyes and stared at her meticulously kept fingernails. "Or pick up a paper. It was all over the news this morning." Marinette looked at Adrien for clarification.

"The gossip pages," Adrien smirked at her, the sight of the smirk evoking a sense of familiarity that she just couldn't place. Marinette fought to keep the excitement off her face and she glanced at the clock.

"Chloe," Marinette tried to redirect the overly excited blonde woman, "We're going to have to get going if we want to make our appointment."

"Ugh…"Chloe all but growled. "So boring…"

"You insisted on doing the final checks yourself," Marinette reminded her.

"I know," Chloe pouted, "Why did I do that?" She shot a glance at Adrien, "Call me later," she ordered. "We'll do dinner, or better yet drinks."

"I'll call you Chloe," Adrien promised in what Marinette thought was a placating tone. "Can I have a minute before you leave Marinette?" She nodded and Chloe made her way petulantly back downstairs to wait.

"Is everything ok?" she asked the moment she knew that Chloe was out of earshot.

"Yes," Adrien responded a little too quickly. "I just didn't know if you were coming to dinner tonight?"

"Dinner?" Marinette cocked her head in confusion. Panic overwhelmed her and she darted to her date book and threw it open. She had managed to be a lot more organized, and the idea that she'd forgotten something so important startled her.

"Yeah," Adrien's voice came from immediately behind her, and she spun around, finding Adrien very close, she stepped back her hip bumping into the counter of her kitchen, her breathing heavy. "At Nino and Alya's. He and I talked about it last week when I called to tell him I was coming home."

"Oh no," Marinette cringed. "Alya has no idea about this," she looked away from him, she had to, if only to hide the pink that she was sure was flooding her cheeks. "Nino's been in panic mode about his film, he must have forgotten to tell her." Marinette chanced a look at Adrien and saw his face fall slightly, before he hid the obvious disappointment, and he shoved his hands in to his pockets. "It's ok though," Marinette held her hands up, "I know a great restaurant. I'll call and make reservations. Alya will be none the wiser about Nino's little blunder," she chuckled.

"What restaurant?" Adrien asked is voice deeper this time, richer.

"It's a little place called Franky's," Marinette smiled turning back around to make a little note for herself to call the proprietor. "Best Italian food in the city."

"Near here?" he asked, his voice eliciting a shiver from her as the sound wrapped around her like silk.

"Yes," she smiled. She turned back to face him and found him watching her closely, studying her. Marinette fidgeted with her hands not knowing what to do with them.

"Why don't I meet you here then?" he asked smoothly, and Marinette's fidgeting increased. "We can walk there together."

"That sounds great," she forced her hands to still and drop to her sides. "I would love to catch up."

"I'll call Nino and let him know of the change in plans," Adrien said shifting forward on his feet a small, almost relieved smile on his face, though Marinette had no idea why.

"I'll call Alya," Marinette took a deep calming breath. "You just remind Nino to keep his mouth shut about all this. This isn't the first time he's forgotten to mention something important, and Alya might just kill him if she found out."

"Good idea," Adrien chuckled. "Text me the time I should meet you." With a final wink Adrien left, the bell above the door signaling that she was alone and Marinette sagged against the counter top. She felt like she had been ambushed. Each time she saw Adrien, those old feelings leapt up and she felt like she was in high school all over again. She had dated a little since her and Chat had broken up, but it had never felt this intense before. It hadn't felt this intense since Chat.

"Damn it," she whispered as Tikki floated into view and she grabbed her purse. "I'm falling in love with Adrien again, aren't I?" she looked pleadingly at the little kwami.

"No time," Tikki reminded her. "Chloe is waiting." Marinette sighed heavily, and tried to calm her racing heart as she rushed out the door.

It was 7:45 pm and Adrien was sitting out in front of Marinette's house waiting. He had gotten there at 7:30, but wasn't supposed to pick her up until 8:15. He stared at the clock in his dashboard counting the seconds and they ticked by much slower than he would have wanted.

"I don't know why you are so nervous," Plagg said through a full mouth as he sat munching cheese in the cup holder of the car. "It's Marinette."

"The reason I'm nervous is that it is Marinette, you tiny glutton," Adrien rolled his eyes. He had wanted to see her since the moment he stepped foot back in Paris. Greater even than his desire to see his lady again. Every time he had seen Marinette, she'd managed to get even more beautiful, and when she'd come casually wheeling out into the almost unrecognizable living room of her house, she had taken his breath away. Her hair was longer, and tied up into an elegant bun at the back of her head. The bright blue eyes that had haunted him for so long reveled the shock she had felt when he had suddenly appeared.

He had had no idea what to do with his hands. The itched to touch her, to pull her in, to hold her, and when he saw the light blush creep across her cheeks, it was all he could do to keep them in his pockets. He had missed her, there was no doubt about it. The minute the physics fellowship at Sorbonne had come up, he had leapt at the opportunity to return. He had been planning on going for his doctorate, but to be back in Paris was thrilling. It felt like coming home. And the fact that Marinette was there, had been the largest bonus he could have hoped for.

The moment he knew he was going home, he had decided to see her. To see if she felt anything for him. Anything at all. Adrien had spent the last four years truly figuring out who he was, without any reservations. He knew that he was not the perfect son, and while he relished the idea of the freedom that Chat Noir offered, that was not entirely him either, at least not anymore. He was somewhere in between. This time, he would approach Marinette as himself, and see what happened.

"And what about Ladybug?" Plagg pushed.

"Don't complicate this for me right now," Adrien said, his voice tight as only one minute had passed since he last looked at the clock.

"If I've told you once," Plagg said waving his cheese in the air, "I've told you a thousand times. I can tell you who Ladybug is…beneath the mask that is."

"No," Adrien said firmly. "I'll find out when she tells me…if she ever tells me. It would be betraying her trust otherwise."

"Four years," Plagg sighed. "And you've never taken me up on the offer." Adrien wasn't sure if he wanted to know, but at the same time the idea of finally knowing his lady without her mask burned in his heart as an unachievable fantasy. "Just call Marinette."

"What?"

"Let her know you are down here," Plagg sighed. "She'll invite you up. It's better than waiting in the car." Adrien hesitated. "At least it will be more comfortable."

"You're right," he sighed and picked up his phone. He sat there, waiting for her to pick up, absently opening and closing his hand as the phone rang. She finally picked up after the world's longest three rings.

"Hi Adrien," she said, and she seem out of breath, the sound of her breathless forcing him to swallow instinctively.

"Hey," he said, not even bothering to try and sound casual. "I'm downstairs."

"So early?" her voice squeaked adorably in panic.

"Yeah," he smiled. "I didn't take me as long as I thought to get here."

"Come up," she said quickly. "I'll unlock the door, just let yourself in and make yourself at home. I'm almost ready anyway."

"I'll be there in a second," he was already halfway to up the stairs to her door. He hadn't known about the side door that lead directly into her-now-studio when they were in school. Any time he had come and gone from her house as Adrien, he always went through the bakery. And as Chat, he always slunk through the window like an alley cat. She must have heard him coming and opened the door the phone still to her ear.

He froze midstep at stared at her. She was wearing an achingly familiar shade of red. It contrasted with her skin and eyes in a way that he could only describe as sinful. The dress looked simple enough, but Adrien knew enough about fashion to know that this was a deception. Chiffon over silk, draped stunningly off her delicate shoulders, the skirt flaring out around her long legs and clinging around her waist where a black belt sat.

"I thought you said almost ready," Adrien managed after a minute. "You look runway perfect." Marinette let out a warm laugh and fixed him with a smirk that he found to be achingly familiar.

"Flattery," she scoffed crinkling her nose, "Dear sir…will get you nowhere."

"I can honestly tell you Marinette," Adrien took a deep breath as he resumed the short climb to where she waited. "It is not flattery." He watched as pink crept across her cheeks and she turned away.

"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked with her back to him.

"No," Adrien said not taking his eyes off of her. "I'm fine." She gracefully breezed across the room and grabbed a pair of black high heels from beside the couch and slipped them on her feet. She crossed behind the large decorated partition that separated the kitchen from the rest of the room, and called out,

"Since you're here early," he listened intently, wondering what she was doing, "We can head to the restaurant and get a drink before dinner." She emerged having finished her make-up, she practically fluttered across the room and grabbed a charcoal grey coat.

"That sounds wonderful," he said his mouth growing dry as she fixed him with fiery eyes. She locked the door behind them as they left, and they made their way back down the stairs. With the last door closed and locked behind them, Adrien offered her his arm.

"Thank you," she said in that breathless voice again that made his heart race, and she place her small hand in the crook of his arm. "So…what brought you back to Paris?" she asked as they began their short walk.

He explained about his fellowship as they walked. That in addition to teaching at Sorbonne, he would also be working on his doctoral thesis. The walk was short but he had finished waxing on about the topic of his thesis by the time they arrived at the tiny restaurant.

"Quite frankly, Adrien," she let out a delightful little giggle as he opened the door for her. "That is all well over my head. You know I was terrible at Physics."

"I remember," He leaned in to her as she sashayed past him, "I had to tutor you our last year." She giggled again, and Adrien heard someone inside call her name. And older, short man was making his way to Marinette, his silver hair glinting in the low light as he reached out and embraced her, speaking rapidly in what sounded like Italian. Adrien's breath caught when he heard her reply in kind.

After a quick conversation, the man gestured to the left of the door, to a little bar with tall stools and dim lighting. He gave Adrien a polite nod as Adrien placed a hand on Marinette's lower back and lead her to the bar, noticing how she shivered at the contact.

"Who was that?" Adrien asked casually as he forced his hand away from her lower back and back to his side, "And when did you learn Italian?"

"That," Marinette gestured at the man, who was now greeting another couple and showing them to their table, "Is Francesco, he owns the place. And I think you forget that I just recently came off a yearlong apprenticeship with Alessandra Facchinetti at Valentino."

"That's right," Adrien felt like an idiot. "I completely forgot about that. How is Lessy?"

"Only you could get away with calling her Lessy," Marinette beamed. But she very quickly went it to detail about her year in Italy. Adrien listened intently as he marveled at how much Marinette had changed. Not in any major way, but where she used to shrink way from talking about herself. Now she was talking without even thinking, her eyes blazing with passion and confidence. _I guess I'm not the only one who learned to be comfortable in their skin,_ he thought. They continued talking, leaning into each other as to not have to speak too loudly over the din of the restaurant, and the conversation turned into her upcoming debut. "I'm just so nervous," she confessed.

"You have no reason to be," he toyed with his ring as he watched her absentmindedly reach up to her earrings, the same small ones she had worn since high school.

"I feel like I'm going to make a fool of myself," she said placing her palm on the table. Before he knew what he was doing, Adrien's hand was on hers covering it in a comforting gesture.

"My father never would have sponsored you if he thought that was even remotely possible," Adrien assured her.

She sighed heavily, her hand cool beneath his. "You're right," she finally said. "He's a very different person than he was when we were younger."

"You're not kidding," he said giving her hand a small squeeze. "I never thought my father would have allowed me to leave the country for school." She smiled knowingly at him as he had to remind himself to take another deep breath. Her proximity was intoxicating, and he wanted nothing more than to lean over and kiss her. He chanced a look at her to find that she was staring at him. When their eyes met, the noise around them stopped, and he noticed the way her breath hitched. _How could I have been so blind for so long?_ He wondered as he shifted to lean closer to her.

"Adrien," Nino's voice broke the spell they were under, and quick as a flash Marinette pulled away from him entirely, her hand no longer under his. Adrien had to suppress a growl as he reached up and clasped a frazzled looking Nino's hand squeezing it a bit too hard before pulling his best friend into a hug.

"Shit, man…Sorry" Nino whispered in the moment before he pulled away and Adrien turned to greet Alya. No sooner had the other couple arrived, than Francesco swooped in to show them to their table. Dinner was wonderful. Marinette had been right, the food was amazing, but what had made it better was that for the first time in years, Adrien felt like he was home.

He had hoped to be able to walk Marinette back home alone, but then he remembered that Nino and Alya lived not too far from her. The four walked back it the direction of Marinette's house, laughing and chatting the entire way. Adrien was reluctant to leave even as he bid them farewell and climbed into his car, Plagg floating out of his breast pocket and attacking the remaining camembert with a vengeance. Adrien sat for a few minutes and stared at her window, waiting until the light came on. He hung his head in his hands, he wanted to call her, wanted to see her again, wanted to kiss her. He had almost managed to kiss her at the restaurant, and his skin was crawling with the desire to feel her in his arms again. To feel that cool skin beneath is hands again, her silky hair between his bare fingers instead of his gloved hands.

"You can always just knock on her window," Plagg looked at him sympathetically. "All you have to do is say the words, and poof…you're Chat Noir."

"I need to know how she feels about me first," Adrien said. He had thought about it-a lot. He wasn't going to appear in front of her again as Chat until he knew. He had to know if she loved him, who he had become, not just one facet of him.

"You humans," Plagg sighed heavily. "You are just far too complicated."

"I am planning on transforming tonight," Adrien smirked as he stared at Marinette's open window. "I just won't be visiting Marinette."

"Then why bother transforming then?" Plagg asked.

"The one of the things I missed most about Paris," Adrien looked at the tiny black kwami, "Was the view from the rooftops at night." He drove back to his rented apartment that was near the campus, and parked, darting up the stairs two at a time in his excitement. He had barely even taken off his coat when he smiled brightly and transformed, opening the penthouse window and darting off into the night.

The familiar streets below him, he raced on until he managed to exhaust himself. He took a detour and landed gently on the top of the Arc de Triumph, and sat there for a long time, admiring the view of his city, his home. "Purr-fect," he muttered to himself blissfully.

"Chat?" he would know that voice anywhere and his heart began to pound as he turned around to find Ladybug standing on the opposite end of the iconic landmark. He froze, she was as perfect as he remembered. Blazing blue eyes, offset by her crimson mask, her dark hair still pulled into two, but instead of the pigtails he was so used to, it was coiled in to two neat buns at the base of her head.

"Ladybug," he said breathlessly as stood up. "You are a sight for sore-eyes." He hadn't planned on this tonight, he hadn't planned on seeing Ladybug. He had planned on calling her in a week to let her know that he was back. He hadn't planned on his heart clenching in his chest at the very sight of her, looking so different and yet unmistakable. She was in fact, breathtaking and Adrien realized in that moment, he had never truly gotten over her.

Her small lithe figure collided with him, her arms clutching tightly around his chest. He didn't know what to do, so he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him, inhaling her very familiar scent. He felt a shudder run through her and he quickly pulled her away, to find her staring at him, eyes glassy with tears.

He never would have expected to see this. His lady was strong, stronger than he could have ever even dreamed of being. She made this whole superhero thing look easy. She had never once cried around him, and the fact that she was doing it now chilled him. "What's wrong, my lady?" he asked, his voice breaking as he reached up to brush her tears away.

"I missed you, you stupid ally cat," she tried to laugh but he saw though it. He saw the pain in her eyes, the pain of being alone, and something else. Something he had always wanted to see, something he had given up on seeing a long time ago.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered, cupping her cheek.

"I know," she said looking away. "But…why…didn't…nevermind." She burred her face in his chest, and he prayed that she couldn't hear the way his heart was racing. He just held her, wondering what had changed. Had she changed the same way that he had? He had eventually learned that his mask both as Adrien and Chat Noir we not necessary for him to truly be himself, but had his lady…had Ladybug been different in her mask as well?

He had never given it much thought before, but no one could have been that strong, that confident, that on point all the time. "I'm sorry my lady," Chat whispered again. Every old feeling he had harbored for her crashed into him full force as he forced himself to take a ragged breath.

"It's ok," she pulled away slightly, but her arms still clutched tightly around him, giving him a shy smile. "Not everyone could stay in order to pursue their dreams." She gave a little chuckle as if she had made a joke he wasn't in on. Another tear slid down her mask and he brushed it away with his thumb. She leaned into the brief contact, and shivered. Adrien's breath caught, as he realized finally how close she was, her eyes begging him for something.

He leaned in, caressing her cheek, moving his hand down to tilt up her face. Stopping, waiting for her to say something, anything. To laugh and push him away. To make joke, to shut him down and finally return their equilibrium. She pushed up on her toes bringing her lips closer to his, her breath mingling with his as his mind screamed out that he shouldn't be doing this.

He may not have fully gotten over Ladybug, but he had moved on. He had come back, and the first person he wanted to see when he landed was Marinette. He had thought about her, dreamed of her fantasized about her, every day while they had been apart. But he would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about Ladybug too. Guilt churned in his stomach, when he realized that this was the first time he had thought of Marinette since he laid eyes on Ladybug.

"Oh god," Ladybug choked out shaking her head. "What the hell am I doing?" He dropped his arms immediately at her words, the guilt intensifying. "Tonight of all nights," she stepped backwards and buried her face in her hands.

"Lady…" he began reaching out to her, she was in pain and he wanted to fix it for her.

"No Chat," she interrupted. "Please. This is not your fault." She dropped her hands and he could see fresh tears tracks on her face. "I have to go." In spite of his loud protests, Ladybug quickly pulled her yo-yo and flung it out, flying off. Adrien crouched down, his head between his knees. His heart felt like it was ripping in two. He forced himself to breath evenly.

"This can't be happening," he whispered aloud. He was not fickle, he never had been. About anything. But his heart was calling out for two women, two very different women. He needed to talk to someone. He could practically hear Plagg now, just telling him to give up and eat more cheese. He need someone to talk to, a perspective other than Plagg's. He rushed across the rooftops headed for home. He had no sooner dropped into his window and had released his transformation, and Adrien grabbed his phone and dialed Nino's number.

He had to tell Nino everything. About Chat Noir, about Marinette, about Ladybug.

 _Author's Note: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! I can't begin to tell you how much it means to hear from all of you. Thank you also to all who favorited and followed this! It delights me to no end to know that so many people actually want to see what's going to happen._

 _Fun fact: France uses a 24 hour clock not a 12 hour like I do here in the US. Technically the time should have read 19:45 not 7:45._

 _I know this chapter is a lot longer than the others, but it kinda had to be. I had this as two separate chapters but when I got to the end I was not happy about leaving it where it was. So I lugged all the Adrien drama in it too. I think it's a better place to end, even though it's a bit horrible for my heart._

 _Hope you all enjoy the new chapter,_

 _-Ness_


	6. Chapter 6

Marinette got home around midnight and flopped down on her chaise, completely numb. No matter how many times her encounter with Chat Noir played in her head, she couldn't manage to wrap her head around what had happened.

She had run to him.

She had tried to kiss him.

Guilt churned in her stomach as she sat there in completely silence trying to understand why she would do something so incredibly stupid. There was only one answer. Marinette had never actually gotten over Chat, and the knowledge only made her feel worse.

It was 2:30 in the morning when Marinette had had enough. She couldn't deal with this alone. She pulled out her phone and called Alya.

"I need you to come over," Marinette practically yelled as soon as she heard the phone connect.

"Hello to you too," Alya said. "What would you have done if I was sleeping?"

"I would have ran over to your house and rung the doorbell until you answered," Marinette said as she started pacing.

"I'll be right there," Alya said, her tone shifted as she noticed the panic in her friend's voice. Five minutes later, Alya let herself in to the house. "What is wrong?" Alya asked climbing through the hatch door to Marinette's room.

"Does Nino know you're here?" Marinette asked, trying to give herself some time. She wasn't sure where to even start.

"I sent him a text," Alya waved her hand. "Spill." So Marinette did. She had to start at the beginning, with Adrien showing up at the studio, and the brief interaction she had had with him and the immediate pull at her heart she had felt around him. "So was dinner tonight his idea or yours?" Marinette opened her mouth to answer and then snapped it shut. Alya watched her through narrowed eyes.

"Well," Marinette wracked her brain for an appropriate cover story. "It was sort of a joint effort." Alya quirked an eyebrow.

"A joint effort?" she asked with a curious smile. "You wouldn't be covering for someone would you?"

"No," Marinette laughed nervously. "Why would you think that?"

"Whatever," Alya rolled her eyes. "What was his body language like when you two were alone?" Marinette cocked her head in confusion. "Did he stand uncomfortably close? Did he fidget? Hands in his pockets? Anything that sticks out in your mind?"

"We're getting off topic," Marinette complained.

"Answer the question," Alya sighed.

"Maybe you should have been a cop instead of a journalist," Marinette rolled her eyes, but Alya just shrugged. "He stood close, but not uncomfortably so. It was…I don't know. When he picked me up, I couldn't help but thinking that this was an amazing first date…and then when we almost kissed…"

"You do know how to bury the lead," Alya said rubbing her face. "When did you almost kiss?"

"Right as you and Nino showed up," Marinette grabbed a pillow and clutched it to her chest, and Tikki floated down, suddenly interested in the conversation and took her place on Marinette's shoulder. Alya looked at Tikki with a narrow gaze, but Tikki said nothing.

"What happened after you got home?" Alya asked.

"I was feeling restless," Marinette's nose crinkled as she remembered. "So I went out as Ladybug."

"So?"

"So…I ran into Chat," Alya's eyes widened as Marinette recounted the entire encounter with her partner. "It's just…It was like a magnet…"Marinette didn't have the courage to meet Alya's eyes. "Before I knew what I was doing I was in his arms, and…god, I wanted kiss Chat almost more than I wanted to breathe." Alya was silent for a long time. "I'm a terrible person," Marinette buried her face in the pillow and groaned. "I'm in love with Adrien all over again, and I wish I could deny it, but I'm still in love with Chat…after all this time."

"I don't see the problem," Alya shrugged, her tone smug and Marinette's eyes whipped up to her friend.

"How can you not see the problem?" she yelled.

"Think about it for a minute will you," she held up a hand. "And Tikki, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong."

"I'm fairly certain you are not," Tikki smiled, trying not to laugh.

"One," Alya held up one finger. "Chat was…well likely still is based off of tonight...in love with Ladybug. Adrien rejected you the day after Chat confessed his feelings to you."

"Yeah, but…"Marinette was silenced with a look.

"Chat stared coming around here," Alya continued as if she had never been interrupted. "He came around because of your shared experiences. That you two understood better than anyone else what the other one was feeling." Marinette nodded. "How the hell did Chat know about Adrien?"

"I don't know…" Marinette shrugged. "He said he had heard a rumor."

"From who?" Alya had a delighted look in her eye. "There are only three people in the world who knew. Adrien, you and me. I know Adrien wasn't talking about it. Nino didn't even know about it until I told him months after the fact. And I told no one, and was with you the entire time. How would he have heard?"

"Alya," Marinette's eyes went wide as she finally realized what her friend was getting at. "There is no way that…" Marinette felt the color drain from her face. _She always did think that Chat went to our school too,_ she thought.

"Two," Alya continued holding up another finger. "Adrien started looking at you differently when Chat stared dating you." Marinette looked at the ground. It was only once Adrien was gone, that Alya had informed her of the drastically different way he had been treating her. "He may have said he'd been dating a mystery woman, but it's more than a little suspicious that you both had secret relationships at the same time, for the same length of time. And no…he never even told Nino about this mystery woman." Alya popped up a third digit. "Three, both Adrien and Chat went to overseas colleges."

"I'll stop you right there," Marinette said. "A lot of people didn't go to school in Paris."

"But no one else," Alya countered, "That we know of, other than Adrien and Chat went to school overseas. I told you that I not only suspected that Ladybug went to our school, but that Chat Noir did too." Marinette didn't say anything, she didn't have to. "You never once saw Chat, not for four years, until tonight. The exact same night that Adrien returns for good."

"Alya…" Marinette shook her head.

"Think about your 'everything is covered in glitter'," Alya insisted. "It happens every time Adrien comes home. It's probably a Ladybug thing, so why would it react to Adrien if he wasn't Chat Noir?"

"But…" Marinette said, not even knowing how to counter any of the arguments that Alya had given her.

"You are not the kind of girl who would fall in love with two different men," Alya finally dropped her hand. "You're not. That's the biggest piece to all this. If you are in love with Adrien and Chat Noir, it's because they are the same person. And deep down, you know it." Marinette buried her face in the pillow on her lap. Alya certainly made a good case. It was all things that had been too easy for Marinette to ignore, but when ordered and put into a list, it was far too much for coincidence.

"But how?" Marinette asked.

"Good luck," Alya shrugged, "Or bad, I guess depending on how you look at it. You both fell in love with the idealized versions of each other, and then fell in love again as yourselves." Alya sat back and sighed. "I mean, anyone who has known Adrien for any length of time knows that that perfect persona of his was not him. He's just as big of a dork about things as Nino is."

Marinette just sat there in silence for a long time. When she had finally seen Adrien again, he had changed so much. Not just physically, but there was a lightness and playfulness about him that she had never seen before he left for school. She just assumed that being on his own had changed him. She had changed too, but that had come from a realization that she wasn't two people. That Ladybug and Marinette were the same person, they just displayed different sets of her personality traits. It was only in the last year or so that she had decided that it was foolish to treat her alter-ego as a separate personality, and to just be herself. For better or worse. But looking at the difference between that Adrien that had left, and the one that had come back, he was exactly like a toned down version of Chat. Chat's confidence and playfulness with Adrien's temperance and level head.

"You never did ask where Nino is," Alya smirked.

"You said you texted him," Marinette said dispassionately. "I assumed he was working on his film."

"He finally was happy with the end," Alya said with a smile. "Adrien called him a couple of hours ago, and Nino rushed out of the house."

"That would have been right around my incident with Chat," she turned her head to Tikki, as the kwami cleared her throat.

"Kwami can spot another miraculous user from a mile away," Tikki said, "So I do know who Chat is in his civilian life. Do you want me to tell you?" Tikki asked.

"Yes," Alya answered. "Marinette, you're tearing yourself up over this. And my gut tell me that I'm right."

Marinette sighed. Alya had a point though. The way she was feeling would make a lot more sense if it was true that Adrien and Chat were the same person. _But I can't help thinking,_ she thought. _That's it's cheating. Chat's kwami must have offered too, which means…Chat said no._ Her heart swelled as she realized this. Chat had kept her secret all this time, had either never asked his kwami, or had never let the kwami tell him. "I can't," Marinette sighed again. "Chat was respectful of my wish to keep our identities to ourselves back when all this started. I won't ask you for that information now Tikki."

"Come on," Alya groaned, exasperated.

"No, Alya," Marinette said firmly. "But…" she smiled with a twinkle in her eye. "That doesn't mean I won't give you the opportunity to prove your theory."

Marinette was dragging the next morning when her alarm went off. "Last night was too much," she said rubbing her bleary eyes.

"You're the one who made the decision to not let Tikki tell you," Alya groaned sleepily from beside her.

"I think it's the right decision," Marinette sighed.

"You ready for what comes next?" Alya asked.

"Well," Marinette said with a smirk. "I have the meeting at the bank to get the loan."

"Girl," Alya rolled her eyes. "You know that is not what I mean."

"I don't know," Marinette chuckled. "If you're wrong…"

"I'm not wrong," Alya interjected. "Are you ready to go ahead with my plan?"

"Yes," Marinette sighed. "I still feel like it's cheating little but, yes."

"So Plan AdriChat is in effect," Alya rolled back over. "I'm going back to sleep. Have fun at the bank." Marinette shoved her friend, but climbed down her ladder shivering a little as her feet hit the floor boards. After a shower and coffee she was out the door and hailing a taxi to get to the bank on time.

Gabriel was waiting for her just inside the doorway. "Good Morning Mr. Agreste," she chirped as the door closed silently behind her.

"We're peers now, Marinette," Gabriel gave her a deadpan glance. "You should call me Gabriel."

"Sorry Sir," Marinette smiled. "Old habits." Gabriel nodded sharply. The appointment was dreary, but in the end, the papers were signed for her small business loan and they were on their way back out the door surprisingly quickly. "I wish I could have just saved up the money to start, instead of taking out the loan."

"We discussed this Marinette," Gabriel said. "With your official debut at Fashion Week, you will need to have some product ready to go immediately."

"I know," Marinette nodded. "I just hate the idea of starting my professional life in so much debt. But Mr. Agreste…Gabriel…I wanted to thank you. For everything. I don't know if I would have gotten this far without your guidance."

"Let me assure you," Gabriel pulled his glasses off his face gracefully, cleaning the already impeccable lenses. "You would have gotten there with or without my help. You are among the most talented designers in my acquaintance. And if it hadn't been me, someone else would have snatched you up."

"Thank you Gabriel," Marinette said, blinking her eyes to rid them of the tears from her mentor's high praise.

"Now," Gabriel put his glasses back on and focused his crystal blue eyes on her. "Have you finalized the designs you are planning on going with. Fashion Week may still be four months away, but by no means should you assume that means you have time to dally."

"I understand," Marinette nodded seriously. "I have a slot with the factory that I worked with while working on Chloe Bourgeois' new line, and they want the patterns next month."

"The factory I recommended," Gabriel asked eyeing her over the glasses now perched on his nose, "The one in Besancon?"

"Yes, Sir," Marinette nodded. "You were right. They are a delight to work with."

"I am fairly certain the word I used was professional," the ghost of a smile played on Gabriel's lips.

"I was hoping you could take a look at what I was planning," Marinette watched the smile disappear.

"I will not be telling you what to do this time," Gabriel gave her a warning look, "But I will take a look. I am sponsoring you after all, it would be remiss of me not to." She accepted a ride in the town car that appeared suddenly and was driven to Gabriel's office. Natalie closed the door behind them as she looked around the spartanly decorated office that she had spent so much time in over the last few years. White walls, accented in a palate of greys. The only pops of color were in the already painstakingly crafted designs that lined the mannequins and sewing figures along the walls. Marinette stared at them beginning to worry.

"Your line should not look like mine," Gabriel said settling down at his desk all of her designs spread out before him. "Don't judge your work off based off of what other do. You should know better than that."

"I know," Marinette sighed. "Just panic setting in I guess."

"Panic over what?" the voice behind her stopped her heart, and she turned to see Adrien standing framed by the door, and she felt her face begin to warm as she met his eyes. Adrien flashed her a smile, but she couldn't help but feel that his smile was different than it had been yesterday.

"Your friend is just worried about her presentation," Gabriel said not looking up from Marinette's sketches.

"May I?" Adrien still stood in the doorway, but pointed at his father's desk, where her collection of sketches sat. Marinette's heart thrummed nervously, as she quickly nodded, and Adrien breezed into the room. He gave her that odd smile again as he passed her, peeking her curiosity, as he leaned it over his father's shoulder staring almost excitedly at the desk. _Pay attention,_ Alya's voice chastised Marinette in her head. _Look closely at how he behaves with you. I can't do it for you…yet. But you have to see what's hiding beneath his façade._

The odd smile had caught her attention, but Marinette wasn't able to place why. She forced her breathing to slow down, trying to reign in her wildly beating heart. Adrien seemed himself, as far as she could tell. _Really though?_ Alya's voice interrupted her concentration.

"I love this," Adrien's voice sounded excited as he jabbed a finger at something on the desk.

"Really?" Gabriel asked. "Why?" Marinette had worked long enough with Gabriel and his rather mono-chromatic personality to know that he wasn't being rude about the design. Gabriel had always forced her to defend why she had liked something-its color, its cut, the stitching, the lines, the images evoked-rather than accepting a simple emotional reaction to something. _For the average consumer,_ he had once explained to her, _An emotional reaction is fine. If you plan on pursuing a career in fashion, you need to know exactly what it is that you are drawn to. Otherwise, you will never understand your own unique style._

"Primarily," Adrien responded calmly, and Marinette had to stifle a giggle at the barely contained annoyance in his eyes. "The lines, and the cut. It boarders between a much more classic style of a men's suit and something a little more trendy, making it not only fashionable but a wardrobe staple." Marinette leaned in and looked at the design that the two were talking about, and forced herself to take a long even breath.

It was one of three suits that she had been working on. This one in particular, was a deep rich black suit that she was particularly fond of, mainly because every time she looked at it, it reminded her of Chat Noir. She had even chosen a rather shocking electric green as the lining.

Gabriel almost smirked before he hid the reaction from his son, "I expect my son would be better at explaining why he likes this."

"It's almost feline in its appearance," Adrien sighed. "Something about it is both predatory and playful at the same time."

"Precisely," Gabriel gave a slight nod of approval. "It happens to be my favorite as well," he shared a look with Adrien, who just smirked slightly and nodded. Marinette couldn't fathom what had passed between the father and son, but she knew better than to ask. "This all looks good Marinette," Gabriel nodded sharply as he gathered her designs together in a neat pile.

"He means he loves them," Adrien smiled, but Marinette noticed he didn't quite look her in the eye.

"She understand perfectly what I mean," Gabriel said as he handed back the papers. Adrien chuckled silently behind his father, but didn't respond. "What about the other preparations for the show?"

Marinette stowed her sketches away before she took a deep breath before she responded, "The factory will start production in a month for the line. I did decide to go with a limited availability." Gabriel nodded. "I still have to work on the line up for the show and book the models."

"That needs to be done sooner, rather than later," Gabriel warned.

"I understand," Marinette nodded. "I will need to start in house production on the items for the show, based on the models' measurements." She dug around in her purse for her day planner, "I have an appointment with the agency, in two weeks."

"I can always model for you Marinette," Adrien said for the first time, looking her directly in the eye.

"Thank you Adrien," Marinette laughed and she hoped she didn't sound too tense. "But I could never afford your fees."

"I wouldn't ask for a fee," Adrien's smile softened in to the same one he had worn the night before.

"Absolutely not," Marinette scowled. "You are a professional. I would never dream of asking you to do that."

"You didn't ask," Adrien gave her a little Chat like smirk which stole her breath away, "I offered."

"It's the Valentino apprenticeship all over again," Gabriel sat back in his chair. Marinette clutched her hands together, rubbing the palm of her left, with the thumb of her right and sighed.

"What do you mean, Father?" Adrien gave Marinette an appraising look. "When Marinette mentioned the apprenticeship with Lessy, I assumed you had called in a favor."

"The only favor your friend here allowed me to do," Gabriel looked at her with pride in his eyes. "Was write a letter of recommendation as her current employer."

"It would have been unfair to the other applicants if I had accepted anything else," Marinette said forcing herself to drop her hands and take a deep breath to calm down. "I've been exceedingly lucky in terms of my internship and association with you Mr. Agreste." Gabriel cleared his throat, and Marinette corrected. "Gabriel. I don't want to be seen as someone who had leaned on the support of my associations with your family to get ahead. I need to succeed or fail on my own merit." Gabriel nodded approvingly, though he knew every word of her speech. He had heard it enough. Marinette's eyes flickered up to Adrien and her heart sped up at the look on his face. It was gentle, and adoring. The problem was that she was intimately familiar with that look. It was Chat through and through. _Is it really Chat,_ she wondered, _Or am I seeing what I want to see?_ Marinette had to force herself to keep a straight face. "I should go."

"Wait," Adrien called as she turned to leave. "I'll walk you out."

"Don't you have a meeting?" she asked looking between Adrien and Gabriel, noticing the look of peeked interest on her mentor's face.

"No," Adrien winked, stalling her heart once again. "I just had to get something from Natalie, and I thought I'd pop in. Goodbye Father," Adrien waved casually and Gabriel dismissed them with a nod. Marinette smiled in farewell, and shivered as Adrien's hand found the small of her back, guiding her to the door. She was even more aware of him that she had been the previous night. His warm hand on her back, the smell of his cologne as he stood terrifyingly close to her, a twinkle in his eye that he hadn't had back in high school.

He pressed the call button for the elevator, and Marinette stood there at a loss for what to say. She was tongue tied, and she hated it. She hadn't been this weird around him since her botched confession. Marinette took a deep breath through her nose, but the musky scent of his cologne overwhelmed her and made her heart race again.

"I uh…" she stammered and immediately felt her cheeks flush, "I had fun last night." She glanced up at Adrien in what she hoped was a casual expression to see that he was staring at her, that damned smirk on his face.

"I did too," he quirked an eyebrow. "Perhaps we can do it again tonight." Everything in her screamed yes.

"I can't," Marinette closed her eyes trying to calm her rapidly fraying nerves. "I have a final meeting with Chloe before her launch party tomorrow." Adrien looked away and she could have sworn she heard him curse. "And if I remember correctly," she said shakily. "You have a lecture to attend tomorrow." She clutched her hands together again, before clearing her throat and dropping them again. "But maybe in a couple of days," she offered, staring at Adrien out of the corner of her eye.

Her mind was whirling with possibilities. She had only seen Chat for a few minutes the night before, but she was convinced that his body was a near perfect match for Adrien's. She hadn't spent years making clothes to not notice this, but what bothered her was the fact that she had been so blind to it when they were younger. The broad shoulders, the blonde hair, Chat always wore a mask that obscured his face but she knew the lines that existed there would be a dead ringer for Adrien.

"Yeah," Adrien replied melancholy lacing his eyes, and snapping Marinette back to reality. "In a few days I guess then." A bell sounded and the elevator doors slid silently open before them. Adrien placed a hand on the doors and waited for Marinette to enter, before stepping gracefully in himself, standing very close to her in the otherwise empty car. Marinette held her breath, as she could feel something drawing her closer to him. "I do wish you'd let me be involved in your show," he said in a petulant tone.

Marinette giggled, "Are you really going to complain that your friend is not going to take advantage of you?"

"I hate the fact," Adrien smirked, shoving his hands in his pockets, "That my friend won't accept my help." He put a certain emphasis on friend that made Marinette's heart race, her cheeks warming slightly.

"It's not about accepting help, Adrien," she crinkled her nose playfully, "It's about favoritism." She was in awe at the change in atmosphere between them. With barely a few words he was able to set her back at ease. "If you managed to learn how to use a sewing machine in the last four years, I'd be happy to put you to work."

Adrien let out a warm laugh, as Marinette could feel the elevator pulling to a stop, "I'd stich my fingers together prin…"the last word died on his lips as the doors slid open and Adrien practically leapt away from her, panic dancing in his eyes. Once again, he placed a hand to hold the door for her, but she couldn't help but notice his sudden ridged posture.

"W…uh…what were you about to say?" she asked breathlessly as she stepped past him. _Was he about to call you Princess?_ Alya's voice screamed in her mind. No one else knew about that nickname except Chat.

"Nothing," Adrien's smile didn't reach his eyes. He looked more guarded than he had since the day he left for Cambridge. He breezed past her and began walking through the well-lit lobby to the large revolving glass doors.

"Adrien," Marinette rushed after him, having no regard to the high heels that should have impeded her speed. She grabbed his hand just outside the door, and Adrien turned that fake smile back to her. That fake smile was what had been bothering her in Gabriel's office. It was the smile Adrien forced when he was pretending everything was ok. "What were you about to say?" she asked again. She couldn't hear anything over the sound of her own hammering heart.

"I was going to say," Adrien said slowly choosing each word carefully, "Precisely how much would it cost if I wanted a suit like that?" Marinette narrowed her eyes, as she tried to catch up with the incredibly abrupt change of topic. "You know," he pointed to her bag, "My favorite one."

"Uh…" Marinette shook her head, "The black and green one?" Adrien nodded. "Oh," Marinette stammered, "Uh...If you wanted one, I'd be happy to make one for you. But I would never charge you for it."

"A wise person told me recently," Adrien chuckled "That a professional shouldn't be expected to ply their trade for free." Marinette glared at him, "Something about favoritism." He had her there.

"Fine," she conceded. "You can pay," mentally calculating the cost of materials and not a bit more.

"Full price?" Adrien asked. Marinette felt her eyebrow twitch, "I won't pay less than full price," Adrien smirked, but something about it still bothered Marinette. He was still guarded. _Is it because he almost let something slip?_ Alya's voice whispered in the back of her mind. "Unless of course, you want to trade for it?"

"Trade?" Marinette asked cautiously.

"A spot on your runway," Adrien pushed, "For the suit."

"Tsk," Marinette straightened her spine. She'd play his game, but she'd play on her terms. It was what she had decided to do last night after all. Part of what Alya had dubbed 'Plan AdriChat' after all. "I'll decide how much you pay for the suit," Marinette smirked. "And it won't be a penny more than I think it deserves."

"Fine," Adrien winked, finally letting go of the guarded expression. "Do you need a ride?"

"No, thanks," Marinette sighed. "I have a meeting not too far from here. I'm just going to walk." She watched Adrien's face fall slightly, before he fixed that smile on his face again.

"Too bad for me," he said, once again in a petulant tone that made Marinette wonder. "I'll call you later. About getting together again," he shoved his hands in his pockets again.

"Sounds great," she nodded. When he bid her farewell, Marinette began to walk in the direction of a little café, where she was meeting with a fabric supplier. Tikki fluttered out of the inner pocket that Marinette had sewn into her coat and rested on her shoulder, hiding herself in the oversized hood.

"Did Adrien almost call you princess?" Tikki said in a twittering voice.

"I'm pretty sure he almost did," Marinette whispered, just loud enough for the kwami to hear, but not enough to draw attention to herself.

"Well," Tikki giggled. "That's rather telling." Marinette made a non-committal noise in the back of her throat. "Well?" Tikki repeated.

"It certainly looks that way doesn't it," Marinette whispered. She heard Tikki let out an exasperated sigh.

"Alya was right," Tikki muttered. "You're going to have a really hard time accepting this."

 _Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I love hearing from all of you. And thank you to everyone who favorited or followed this!_

 _I should have the next chapter up really soon (like possibly tomorrow or the day after soon-though I make no promises). I thought about making this a really long chapter again, but it would have been too long. So I left it._

 _Hope you all enjoy,_

 _Ness_


	7. Chapter 7

Later that night, Adrien sat slumped on his couch, staring blankly at the wall. "So what?" Nino asked from his kitchen, where Adrien heard the distinctive clinking of beer bottles as his friend made his way back to the couch. "You screwed up, you almost called Marinette by Chat's old nickname for her, big deal."

"Big deal?" Adrien fixed his friend with a glare that he usually reserved for Plagg. "It is a big deal. It wouldn't have mattered yesterday, but today it does."

"Because of the whole thing with Ladybug," Nino offered before taking a sip off his bottle. Adrien nodded, draining a third of his own beer before setting it on the table. "Because, even though it's been years," Nino's gaze flickered to Plagg who was sitting in the middle of the table, his cheeks puffed out full of cheese, "And even though you moved on, and actually had a relationship with Marinette, part of you never let go of Ladybug."

"That sounds about right," Plagg said gleefully after he swallowed.

"Why do you sound so happy little dude?" Nino stared disbelieving at the black kwami. "It's a little cruel."

"Because I know things," Plagg said his eyes growing wide.

"Spill," Nino jerked his chin, sounding a bit too much like Alya.

"For some really high quality cheese," Plagg grinned flashing his tiny little teeth, "You got a deal."

"Guys," Adrien snapped. "Knock it off. Plagg you are not telling anyone about Ladybug's identity. You think you would have learned after years of me saying no."

"You're stronger than I am," Nino took another swig, "I would have caved day one."

"Nino," Adrien fixed his best friend with an imploring look. "What do I do?" Nino sighed heavily and set his bottle on the table.

"I don't know man," Nino shook his head. "You're asking the wrong guy. I've been in love with the same woman since high school. Alya and I…I don't know…we just fit. She gets me." They fell silent for a while before Nino continued. "Sometimes I think that even if Alya and I were different people, we'd still find each other again."

"Like soul mates?" Plagg asked with a tiny grin. "Like it's meant to be?"

"Yeah," Nino nodded. "Exactly." Adrien sat back on the couch, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. The problem was, he believed that Ladybug was his other half. They had always been two halves of one whole. Yin and Yang. Good luck and bad luck. Creation and destruction. He had felt it the moment that he met her. To make matters worse, when he was with Marinette, he felt the same. He felt like she was compassion incarnate. She softened him, took away the rough edges and showed him what it was like to be loved, something that he had desperately needed back when they were young. Adrien was logical, but Marinette was all heart. "When do you get to see her again?" Nino asked, jolting Adrien a little.

"I don't know," Adrien muttered. "Hopefully after the dust has settled."

"To whom exactly are you referring?" Nino asked probing.

"I don't know anymore," Adrien hung his head. "Maybe coming back home was a mistake."

"Don't say that," Nino shook his head. "We'll figure this out."

It was almost a full week before Adrien heard Marinette's voice again. He would call her between classes, only to get her voicemail. When he got out of a lecture, he would find a return message from her. His heart would leap every time he saw her number on his call log. Today he had dialed her number, and waited to be connected-once again-to her cheery message asking him to leave a message, but instead a brisk business like tone, eerily reminiscent of his father answered.

"This is Marinette," the voice on the line said. Adrien sat there in shock for a moment, not actually knowing what to say. "Hello?" the familiar voice asked.

"M…Marinette, it's me," he stammered. "Uh...it's Adrien."

"Adrien," she said her voice taking on that breathless quality that made his heart race immediately. "I can't believe I have you on the phone."

"Yeah," he chuckled "Me too. Uh...How are you?"

"I'm good," he could hear her smile in her voice. "You?"

"The same," Adrien shrugged, even knowing she couldn't see it. He had expected to be deluged with work on the first day of his graduate program, but even still it was a bit overwhelming.

"Do you have time to come over tonight?" she asked out of nowhere.

"Yes," he shouted, drawing more than a few curious gazes from the students around him. He had managed to forget he was still sitting in a lecture hall after giving a talk to a number of undergraduates. At the moment though, he couldn't care less. He didn't care that he had a whole book to finish by tomorrow for a course, that it would mean he wouldn't being scouring the city for a flash of crimson so that he could apologize. It did matter to him that he still hadn't figured out his end of things, but he was going to see Marinette, and at the moment, everything else fell away.

"Great," her voice made Adrien feel warm. "I'm home all day today, so come by whenever."

"No meetings today?" he teased. He knew that she was heading in to what his father had always called the frenzy, and that her time was precious.

"No," Marinette's tone changed. "But a thousand other things to do. I'll fill you in tonight."

"Anything I can help with?" Adrien offered.

"No," Marinette replied. A voice in the background caught his attention, and Marinette called back an answer. "I have to go, but I'll see you tonight." Adrien sighed heavily when the phone disconnected. He was fairly certain that he had a moronic smile on his face, but he didn't care one bit.

Adrien bounded up the stairs and knocked on her door promptly at 8 that night. He could hear a thud and then muffled cursing-and what he was fairly certain was a second voice, before the door was roughly pulled open and a frazzled looking Marinette stood before him. He had to blink a few times to make sure he was seeing thing correctly. She stood before him, in a worn pair of denim Capri pants, and a plain white t-shirt, her hair done into two long pigtails, a pair of glasses perched on top of her head.

"Wow," Adrien stifled a laugh, "Did I step through a worm hole and manage to find myself four years in the past?"

"What?" Marinette fixed him with an adorably confused gaze. Adrien gestured at her clothing, and she looked down, and let out a warm giggle. "Oh," she stepped aside so that he could enter the studio. "I guess it is a little reminiscent of what I wore back in high school."

"A little?" Adrien smirked as he walked in. "I almost feel like I should go home and see if I have any of my old clothes left."

"Very funny," she crinkled her nose in the most adorable way. "I doubt anything you wore back then would fit you. You practically grew a foot." It was only then that Adrien really looked around the space.

Before, when he had been here, it had been a neat and tidy space, newly purchased mannequins had lined the walls, each one bare. Now they were littered with fabric, notes pinned to each one, one had a mostly constructed suit, which was pushed to the far back of the room. "I didn't think you paid that much attention to what I wore in high school," Marinette said striding into the chaotic room and lifting a massive pile of fabric from where it sat on the couch, and moving to place it into an open armoire.

"Of course I did," Adrien said watching as she frantically tried to tidy up.

"I'm sure you paid attention to that stuff," Marinette waved a hand dismissively, "It was sort of your job," she giggled. Adrien just smirked. It had nothing to do with his job. He couldn't remember what anyone else had worn back then. It was only her that he had paid attention too.

"What is going on?" He asked trying to move away from the topic that she had just raised. Marinette sighed and shook her head as she looked around her work space.

"My schedule got a little crazy," she said. "I think your father had something to do with it."

"What?"

"Yeah," Marinette clutched her hands together in what was quickly becoming a familiar gesture, rubbing small circles with her thumb. "The modeling agency called and moved up my appointment for my selection for fashion week. The good news is, I have my models. The bad news is that I am now in full blown panic mode trying to get everything ready."

"Fashion week is still months away," Adrien assured her.

"Only four months," Marinette corrected. "And I have the full line to make for the show, and the factory needs my patterns and the instructions."

"You just need a few assistants," Adrien tried to smile reassuringly as he saw the stress in her eyes.

"I can't afford assistants," Marinette laughed. "I think that's why your father pulled some strings to get my appointment moved up. So I would have more time to get everything together."

"That does sounds like him," Adrien nodded. "What can I do?" Marinette stared blankly at him. "To help."

"Oh no," Marinette shook her head, her eyes wide. "I didn't call you here for that." It was Adrien's turn to stare blankly. "I wanted you for a fitting…Did I forget to mention that?"

"For what?"

"For your suit, silly," Marinette grinned as if this should have been obvious. Adrien's gaze flickered over her shoulders to the suit he had noticed.

"No," Adrien insisted. "You can't be working on that right now. You don't have the time."

"I'll make time," Marinette's smiled warmed his skin. "I promised I'd make you one, didn't I?" She crossed to the mannequin and began to remove the suit. "With Chloe's launch now done, I have more time. And frankly, I find working on your suit to be relaxing." She gather the pieces together gently and began to walk towards him.

"How can you find adding more work to your already full schedule relaxing?" Adrien asked taking the offered garment from her arms.

"This is not work," she locked her eyes on his. "This is a labor of…well…this," she reach out and ran a hand over the suit that was draped over his arm her eyes following her hand adoringly, and Adrien swallowed hard at her absentminded touch. "This is for a friend," her blue eyes gazed at him, "A friend who has done a lot for me over the years."

"I haven't done anything," Adrien said slowly, as the energy between them grew stifling in the best possible way. He wished he could shove his hands into his pockets, the urge to touch her was maddening.

"I…completely disagree," Marinette's voice was thick as she quirked her eyebrow. She cleared her throat, that one little noise clearing the air between them as if it had been a bucket of cold water. "Go try this on," she ordered. "There's a changing room just off the kitchen." She shooed him away and Adrien couldn't help but miss the energy that had been between them only a moment before, as he made his way through the kitchen to the changing room.

He stared at himself in the mirror for a minute before quickly changing into the suit. "How in the world did you get the measurements?" he called as he pulled up the pants amazed at how well the whole thing fit considering she hadn't gotten his measurements beforehand.

"I called your father," he heard Marinette's voice from right outside the door.

"You must have a good eye too," he smirked as he slipped the jacket over his shirt. "Few people can do what you've already done with only my measurements." He heard her make a sound that was halfway between a laugh and a scoff, before he opened the door. To find her standing there her glassed perched on her nose, measuring tape around her neck, twirling a piece of fabric chalk effortlessly between her fingers. She lead him down the hall in the opposite direction than the one he'd come to find the end of the hall well-lit with several mirror adoring the walls.

She stared, with an appraising eye at him, walking slow circles around him before she moved in to mark the fabric. She grabbed a stool and placed it behind him, stepping on to it, she began to run her hands over her shoulders, and down his arms, marking the places that she wanted to make alterations. Adrien tried to steady his breath as he felt her touch, the sound of the blood rushing in his ears made it impossible to hear anything.

He was lucky that he had been fitted for clothes a thousand times. He knew what to do without thinking. His thoughts were solely consumed by the seamstress who was working around him. Marinette was blissfully unaware of the fact that all Adrien wanted to do was push her against the wall and kiss her senseless. If she was moved by him at all, she didn't show it, she was a consummate professional. When her hand began to bush the lines of the pants, Adrien closed his eyes and began reciting his lecture on Bernoulli's Principal in his mind just to distract himself from the touch of the seamstress.

He heard her stomach growl, just as she stood up, "Alright," she cleared her throat trying to cover up the noise. "You can change back," she pushed her glasses back on to the top of her head and stepped away from him.

"When was the last time you ate?" Adrien fixed her with a gentle smile. He knew her well enough to know that when she was hyper focused she forgot the important things, like eating or sleep. Marinette narrowed her eyes in thought and was silent. "If you have to think that hard about it, than it's been a while."

"I think it has been a while," Marinette chuckled nervously, rubbing her face.

"How about this?" Adrien said taking a step closer. "I'll order some food to be delivered," Marinette looked up at him, her eyes sparkling in the light. "We put away anything non-essential, and enjoy dinner."

"Maybe I do need a break," Marinette sighed and Adrien beamed. "You go change." He squeezed her arm gently as he breezed past her and back to the changing room. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number of a Chinese restaurant that he knew of nearby. He had planned on asking her out to eat tonight, but what she needed was to relax. He ordered and changed back into his own clothes. He noticed that Plagg wasn't in his pocket, and panicked a little, worrying that the kwami would get into something and expose him. His eyes fell on the marked suit with and he smiled.

Tonight had surprisingly given Adrien a little clarity about his love life quandary. He wanted Marinette, he had come back to Paris with the single minded desire to see if she felt the same way about him. He didn't do things by half measures. _Yes,_ he glanced at his own reflection in the mirror, _I was blindsided by what I still feel for Ladybug. But I gave up on that happening years ago._ He felt a twinge of guilt as he thought about giving up on his lady, but he shook it away. He steeled his nerves and walked back out to find Marinette hastily picking up. He helped, as much as he could.

He managed to find a bottle of wine in the kitchen and two glasses. He opened the bottle and brought everything to the table. "Not the best idea for me," Marinette giggled from the couch as her poured her a glass. "I think I'll wait until I've eaten. I'm a lightweight under the best of circumstances."

"Really?" Adrien smiled and sat beside her with his own glass. She smirked at him, and they just talked. About everything, about nothing-the time flew by. Adrien couldn't help but feel like they were back in the bar at the little restaurant, her in that stunning dress. He leaned in to her, not realizing that he was doing it, until after several minutes she leaned against his shoulder, and his breath hitched. He glanced at her, her eyes shining back at him and he felt the atmosphere change again.

Adrien reached out and brushed a stray hair behind her ear, relishing at the way Marinette leaned into his touch, her eyes closing slightly. When she leaned into him, he leaned down his lips brushing hers, electricity jolting through him at the brief contact. He pulled back slightly, and watched her, silently asking if it was ok. He watched, mesmerized as she opened her eyes wide, her tongue darting across her lips. Something crossed her expressive eyes, but before he could wonder what it was and Marinette arched her back drawing closer to him, to kiss again. A buzzer sounded, almost echoing though the room. Adrien sagged resting his forehead on hers, "Every time," he groaned.

"It's getting annoying," she said her voice thick as honey, "Isn't it?" She moved to stand, even as Adrien allowed her words to sink in. He watched her saunter over to the door, as he realized that she had been waiting for this too. He leapt off the couch, pulling his wallet from his pocket as she opened the door and stiffened. "Alya. Nino."

Adrien came from behind as stood, glaring at his best friend over the top of Marinette's head. Nino stared at him, as if he was a ghost, and shrugged holding up a bag of food from the very restaurant that Adrien had ordered from.

"We were worried that you might not have eaten," Alya eyed Adrien, "So Nino and I were going to drag you out to dinner, when we found a delivery man with enough food to feed a small army. What brought you here Adrien?" Alya's eyes never wavered as she posed her question in a knowing manner.

Marinette invited them to stay for dinner, and Adrien was both delighted, and disappointed. The knowledge that Marinette had wanted him to kiss her was weighing on him. He enjoyed the company of the other couple, but he also wanted them gone, and quickly. Nino seemed to understand this, and eventually was able to drag Alya out the door. No sooner did it close behind them, then Adrien pulled Marinette close. She stood up on the tips of her toes, and brushed his lips again gently. The electricity returned again, as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, slanting his lips over hers.

He heard her make a tiny noise, and darted his tongue along the seam of her lips, she opened them and he delved in, tasting her for the first time in years, for the first time as himself. His hand slid up her back to her neck, cradling it gently, as he fell into her. Her fingers found their way in to his hair and he groaned, feeling her shiver in his arms. Adrien gently turned her around, and urged her to step back so that she was pinned against the wall, one hand cupping her cheek as the other found her hand, and he twined their fingers together. He finally pulled way.

"Wow," she whispered breathlessly.

"Took the words out of my mouth," he chuckled at his own joke, and she stiffened slightly in his arms. "Was it ok?"

"It was so much more than just ok, Adrien," she whispered leaning into him relaxing. Her hand rested on his chest, toying with the fabric of his shirt, and Adrien wrapped his arms, around her, glancing at the clock and groaning. "You have to go, don't you?" she whispered and the feel of her breath on his neck sent a shiver down his spine.

"I don't want to," he confessed, pulling her harder against him.

"But you have to," Marinette tucked her head under his chin.

"Yes," he tilted her chin up, stealing another kiss, which very quickly got away from them. When he regained his senses she was against the wall again, pinned there by his hips, her hair loose and spilling through his fingers, her hands clutching at his shirt pulling him closer with a whine in her throat. Adrien had vivid memories of goodbyes like this when he was Chat Noir, back in high school. He had a hard time pulling himself away from her then, and now it seemed impossible.

"I…have…" he panted.

"I know," she whispered licking her lips again.

"When can I see you again?" the question was out of Adrien's mouth before he knew it, he nuzzled her neck with his nose.

"Call me tomorrow," she arched against him, and he reached down to hold her in place. _If she keeps moving like that, I will never be able to walk out that door tonight,_ he thought as he tried to calm his heart. He'd gotten everything he wanted, the girl he loved was back in his arms, and soon, he would tell her. Tell her that he was Chat Noir. That he had missed her every day for years, but first, he knew. He had to tell Ladybug. Had to tell her that he had made his decision.

Marinette threaded her fingers with his and lead him to the door, where he gave her a chaste kiss, and heard her contented sigh. "Goodnight," he whispered as he placed a final kiss on the back of her hand and walked slowly down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he turned back to see her watching him leave, a knowing smile on her face. Adrien gave her a final wink, and then left. He slid into the seat of his car, unable to stop grinning. "Where did you end up going Plagg?" he asked as the kwami floated from his pocket.

"Just snooping around," Plagg laughed to himself.

"Anything interesting?" Adrien asked, not giving a damn about his answer.

"Nothing I didn't already know," Plagg answered.

 _Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! And thank you to everyone who has followed this in one way or another._

 _Not a long note this time, I'm a bit under the weather but wanted to get this out anyhow since the next few days are going to be insane on my end._

 _Hope you enjoyed!_

 _-Ness_


	8. Chapter 8

"I feel like we should be angry," Alya pouted though heavy breaths as Marinette and Alya ran the next morning. Marinette had been in a haze after Adrien had left. She couldn't believe it. Adrien was Chat Noir. All the time she was with him she had never once even dreamed that it was a possibility.

"Why?" Marinette asked as the reached a corner and jogged in place.

"All that time," Alya shook her head. "When you were dating Chat, you were really dating Adrien. I feel like it's like he was lying."

"All that time he was also dating Ladybug, and he never knew it," Marinette sighed heavily.

"Superheroes are complicated," Alya laughed as the light changed and they ran across the street. "It's kind of beautiful that you recognized his kiss." Marinette blushed as she recalled the shock of recognition that went through her as his lips finally connected with her own. The way that he had been so hesitant, the way that once their lips found each other, it was the most natural thing in the world. It had cinched it, once the kiss had broken, and Adrien cupped her cheek his other hand twinging their fingers together…

Exactly the way Chat had always done.

"Plan AdriChat was a success." Alya's voice was smug and Marinette knew she would never live this down. "And Tikki, what's his kwami's name?"

"Plagg," Tikki answered. "It was nice to get to catch up with him last night."

"And Adrien has no idea that I know?" Marinette asked for about the hundredth time.

"No," Tikki giggled. "Adrien always refused to let Plagg tell him. But apparently he is as torn up as you were about this whole situation you found yourselves in. Though I did find out that Gabriel knows about Adrien."

"What?" Marinette asked, shocked.

"Not surprising," Alya shrugged. "Considering everything that happened there."

"That's why the suit was Gabriel's favorite," Marinette muttered. Alya shot her a confused look, "The Chat suit."

"We really need a better name for it," Alya laughed as they rounded a corner and began to slow as they approached Alya's house. "So when are you going to tell him?"

"Soon, I hope," Marinette said stopping as they reached Alya's front door, a grin spread across her lips, as she remembered the kiss. "I'm hoping to get to see him tonight."

"Don't you have the meeting with the director for your fashion week show tonight?" Alya asked.

"Damn," Marinette pouted. "Well, there goes that idea."

"It may be the end of November," Alya warned "But things are going to be very chaotic for you for the next few months." Marinette nodded, as sulked. Her date book was plotted almost down to the second for the next few weeks. And she knew that any time that wasn't accounted for, should be used to get her line put together.

"Now really is a difficult time to start this," Marinette muttered after she bid Alya farewell.

"And if anyone is going to understand that it's Adrien," Tikki chimed in. "He grew up in the industry."

"I hope you're right," Marinette sighed as she climbed the stairs to her home. After a quick shower she dressed and sat at her sewing machine, and began working. With the comforting whirring of the machine, the music she was playing softly in the background, her thoughts began to wander. She knew that she was going to have to tell Adrien everything, sooner rather than later.

She despised the idea of letting their relationship progress without telling him that she knew he was Chat, telling him that she was Ladybug. A small part of her dreaded it. _What if he gets angry?_ She thought, before shaking the thought away. She knew in her heart that she had done the right thing by not telling him before he left.

It would have made the whole thing harder…for both of them.

But now there was nothing that stood between them. Hawk Moth was long gone, they were adults. They had both grown so much over the last four years. Adrien was getting his doctorate, she was launching her line. _But what if…_ the all too familiar doubt crept up in the back of her mind. When they were young, she was convinced that everyone would be disappointed that she was Ladybug. That the bumbling, uncoordinated, foot in her mouth Marinette was the hero of Paris.

The years had softened her opinion of her former self…somewhat, but not enough to set her stomach clenching in embarrassment of something she'd said or done that was stupid. _But am I enough?_ She wondered. She was Ladybug, but she was Marinette too. For all the confidence that she projected as Ladybug, she was still just Marinette and Marinette was still constantly afraid that she would disappoint people.

Marinette heard the buzzer sound alerting her to someone at the front door. She hit the button, "Who is it?" she asked politely though the intercom. The sign on her door said by appointment only and she knew she didn't have anything to do until much later.

"Marinette?" Adrien's familiar voice answered. "It's me."

"Just a second," she hit the button that would unlock the bottom door, and rushed to check herself in a mirror, before rushing to the door. She yanked it open to see Adrien standing before the door, completely at ease. "Adrien?" a very Chat like smirk lighting up his eyes, "What are you doing here so early?"

"It's almost three in the afternoon," he chuckled and Marinette felt her eyes go wide as she whipped around to look at the clock. "When you didn't return my phone call, if figured you were knee deep in work." When she turned back to look at Adrien, she found a single red rose hovering right before her nose. She stared at him, perfectly aware that she must have been staring like an idiot. She could feel the silly grin twisting her features, a flush consuming her cheeks, as her heart raced at the small gesture.

"I didn't realize that much time had passed," Marinette took the rose and twirled it between her fingers, hyper aware of his eyes on her. Adrien cleared his throat,

"I take it that you are not free tonight," he said with a little chuckle.

"No," she pouted. "I forgot I had a meeting with the director of my show tonight." She watched Adrien's face fall slightly before he smirked again. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said, closing the space between them with a small step, and brushing her cheek with his knuckles. "I can wait. I waited for four years. What's a few more months?" Marinette's heart leapt into her throat, even as she leaned into the caress. "Can I at least buy you lunch?" he whispered his voice heavy.

"There are plenty of leftovers," she said as she cleared her throat. "From last night, I mean. Why don't we stay here?" She pulled herself away from him. She had too. If she was going to have any self-control when it came to him, they had to start here. Marinette was far too tempted to pick up where they had left off last night. Even now the desire to lock the door and drag Adrien upstairs was over whelming. Adrien appeared to be on the same page, as he closed the door. He didn't come too close to her, and she both wanted to thank and chastise him for it simultaneously. They sat awkwardly at first picking at the food, but that rapidly melted away as they got control of their libidos. They talked about inconsequential things, but Marinette wouldn't have changed it for the world. Eventually the subject turned around to the work she had just done with Chloe.

"How did that come about anyhow?" Adrien laughed as Marinette finished a story about the launch party.

"Not as amazing of a story as you think," Marinette giggled as she swatted Adrien's hand away from her dumpling. He gave her a look of mock betrayal that made her laugh harder before she continued. "Chloe approached me a little over a year ago," Marinette shrugged. "I had just gotten back from Italy, and she wanted me to work with her on her line to get it going. I needed the money for," she gestured around her, "For all this. She's matured a little…a very little. I had to spend months convincing her that not everything should be 'queen bee yellow'."

"That has always been her signature color," Adrien burst out laughing, making another grab for the dumpling. This time Marinette let him, but glared at him playfully, until he broke it in half and gave her the larger piece. "Are you going to continue working with her?"

"No," Marinette said after she had swallowed her bite. "This was Chloe's brain child. I was just there to help her get started. I put her in touch with a few other designers for her to work with."

"That has always been my favorite thing about you," Adrien smiled sweetly, his eyes distant.

"What do you mean?" Marinette cocked her head to one side.

"No matter what was going on with you," Adrien locked eyes with her and Marinette instinctively leaned in closer to him, "You have always gone out of your way to help other people. If anyone was in need, you dropped everything you were doing and threw yourself into helping them." Marinette looked down at the floor.

"I didn't think you were paying attention," she said. She could feel him move closer and draw the tip of his nose across her cheek.

"I was always watching prin…" Adrien stopped himself from saying 'princess' once again. But this time Marinette didn't pry for information. She tiled her head, and caught his lips with her own, her fingers sliding over the faint stubble at his jaw line, and to his cheek. Adrien was out of his seat in a heartbeat, and Marinette found herself wrapped in his arms, the kiss deepening entirely by instinct and desire. A familiar warmth consumed her as Marinette arched into him.

Adrien groaned in response and his hands slid down to her waist and pulled her flush against him, and Marinette gasped rising up to her top toes. His hips pinned her to the counter and she melted into the embrace as the buzzer sounded again, and Adrien pulled himself away from her with a curse.

"I think we are destined to be constantly interrupted," she tried to laugh, but her fury was directed to whoever was repeatedly pressing the button.

"It's my bad luck," Adrien whispered to himself as she pulled herself away from him, his disappointment fueling the anger as she pushed the button for the intercom.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Hurry up Marinette," Chloe's voice barked through the intercom. "It's cold out here."

Marinette released the button, and muttered "Speak of the devil," before she pressed the button that would open the bottom door.

"I should go," Adrien's voice whispered right next to her, his breath on her ear sending shivers down her spine. She swallowed hard as his lips ran down her neck to the top of her shoulder, and the instant the door was flung open, he was a respectable distance from her, greeting a squealing Chloe while Marinette fought for her balance after the unexpected intimate gesture.

"Did you move in here Adrien?" Chloe sent a still shaky Marinette a scandalous look. "I've seen you twice since you came back and both times have been here." Chloe pouted and missed the look that Adrien shot Marinette, a look caught somewhere between delight and surprise at the suggestion. Chloe didn't wait for an answer, but began waxing poetically about the launch party he had missed, not mentioning anyone who wasn't an A list guest there at the behest of her father.

"Was there a reason you stopped by Chloe?" Marinette interrupted, pleased that she managed to hide her disappointment.

"I wanted to talk to you about the hacks you sent my way," Chloe wheeled on her. "Not one of them is up to par."

"They are all very good," Marinette countered. "You just don't like having to work with anyone new. If you want my opinion go with Lilian. She's great, and will reign in your impulses when she needs too."

"That's exactly why I don't like her," Chloe snapped harshly, before taking a deep breath and trying again. "She's too opinionated."

"And I wasn't?" Marinette quirked an eyebrow at the now seething blonde. "You knew when we started this that I was not going to be around long term Chloe, so there is no point in trying to guilt me into it."

"Fine," Chloe whined petulantly. "I'll go with Lilian."

"Was that all?" Marinette smirked.

"No," Chloe sighed and she reached into her purse, and pulled out a white envelope and shoved it at Marinette.

"You could have just mailed it," Marinette said as she took the envelope with her final paycheck in in it.

"I thought I should say thank you," Chloe said as if by wrote. "I know I am not the easiest person to work with."

"Thank you Chloe," Marinette smiled at the struggling Chloe. "Working with you was a valuable experience." The blonde shot her a half smile and then excused herself quickly.

"I have to go too," Adrien sighed reluctantly, after Chloe was gone. "I have a lecture to attend." Marinette tried not to smile at the pout etched very clearly on his face.

"Go," Marinette pouted herself eliciting a warm laugh.

"What if I don't want to?" Adrien asked wrapping his arms around her, his hands settling at her waist.

"I have a lot of work to do," Marinette rolled her eyes. "You are welcome to watch, but I warn you…it's not as exciting as it looks.

"Believe me," he groaned, "I am very aware of that." She giggled again, before leaning into him, resting her forehead on his chest.

"We'll have to play it by ear," Marinette sighed. "When we get to see each other again, that is."

"That is fine," Adrien tightened his grip on her slightly.

"Really?" she craned her eyes up to look at him, finding Adrien beaming back at her.

"Really," he smiled. "I'll check in with you tomorrow." He kissed her quickly and then was out the door. Marinette moved to the window and watched as Adrien made his way to the car. He stopped just short, keys on his hand, and then turned around and made his way to the small alley way near her house and disappeared from her sight. Tikki's familiar weight settle on Marinette's shoulder as she wondered where Adrien had gone.

"Chat wants to speak with you," Tikki whispered gleefully. A ripple of panic shot through her "No, he's not here." Tikki clarified.

"Oh," Marinette laughed even as she transformed. She popped open her yo-yo and saw Chat's guilty looking face looking back at her from what she knew was the balcony above her room. "What can I do for you Chat?" she asked, coughing to cover up her laughter.

"I need to talk to you," Adrien's unmistakable voice said, and Marinette had to wonder why she never noticed it before.

"When?" Marinette asked her own tone suddenly serious. She had been avoiding Chat for almost a week since her little break down. No flying around the city, no running to the Eiffel tower staring at the night lights when she was too wired to sleep. She waited until she knew for sure what to say to him. And now that she knew, she would tell him too.

"Tonight?" Chat asked hopefully.

"Tonight's not good for me," she crinkled her nose, an idea popping fully formed in to her head. "Unless it's very late."

"Just like the old days," Chat said with a pained look. Guilt twisted her stomach like a knife and Marinette had every intention of making sure he didn't feel this way for much longer.

"I'll contact you with specifics later," she said firmly. He just nodded before disconnecting. "Ok," Marinette said stretching. "I've got to clear the decks if I want to see Adrien tonight."

"Anything I can do to help?" TIkki asked cheerfully.

"Just keep me company," Marinette rubbed her hands together. "I'm a lot more nervous about this that I thought I'd be."

 _Author's note: Thank you for all the reviews and favorites and everything! You are all wonderful. Also thank you for your well wishes last week. I'm feeling a lot better…well…as good as can be expected when one is six months pregnant._ ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

 _We are very rapidly nearing the close of my little story here. Honestly, I think I have two more chapters and were wrapped up._

 _Hope you enjoyed._

 _-Ness_


	9. Chapter 9

Adrien paced the hard wood floor boards of his apartment, and waited. He glanced at the clock and it was well after midnight. He sighed heavily and resumed pacing. "Seriously kid," Plagg hummed from his place on Adrien's shoulder. "You need to calm down."

"I've been thinking about this all day Plagg," Adrien paused and rocked back and forth on his heels. "And I still don't know what to say to Ladybug." He looked at the clock again, "And it's starting to get late."

"She did say that tonight was not good for her," Plagg shrugged. "Maybe she won't make it."

"She'll make it," Adrien smiled. "My lady doesn't break promises." He felt Plagg shiver on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Plagg said a little too fast, "Where's that gouda you bought today?" Adrein heaved yet another sigh, as he pointed to the block of cheese waiting for the kwami on the counter.

"Why did you want gouda today anyhow?" Adrien asked as he resumed pacing, "In all the time I've known you, you have almost exclusively eaten camembert?"

"Not all my Miraculous' can afford the good stuff," Plagg said with a sly grin. Adrien scowled at the tiny black kwami who shrugged. "Maybe I wasn't in the mood for stinky cheese today," he smiled cryptically. Adrien opened his mouth to question this when he heard a click, and looked around.

"That almost sounded like…"the words died on his lips as he looked up to the sky light that he used to get to the otherwise inaccessible roof, and found a pair of lovely blue eyes staring back at him. His mind raced, _What is my lady doing here? On my roof, looking at me…with that smile._

"Hello kitty," she practically purred her eyes softer than he had ever seen them, and Adrien's heart stopped all together. She knew. Ladybug knew who he was. _How?_ He wondered. He wasn't even going to try and deny it. He couldn't. He was going to tell Marinette, why would he deny Ladybug knowing too? "May I come in?" she asked, pointing at the floor nearly twenty feet below her. Adrien nodded stiffly, still not sure what was happening.

"Remember to breathe kid," Plagg coached from his shoulder, and Adrien took a deep breath. He cleared his throat.

"I guess the cat's out of the bag," he shrugged. Ladybug placed a hand on her forehead in a clear sign of exasperation.

"I can't believe you," she shook her head. Adrien froze, his blood turning to ice. _Is she mad?_ He thought, _Does she hate me?_ "Of all the puns in your arsenal Chat, you went for that one?" she covered her mouth trying not to laugh, but her shoulders quaked from the effort.

"It seemed appropriate," Adrien threw his arms out in an exaggerated shrug. "Do I disappoint my Lady?"

"Never," Ladybug smiled again, almost brighter than she had before.

"Adrien I need…"

"Ladybug I…"

They both laughed nervously, Adrien's heart leaping into his throat as he heard her use his real name. _Now or never,_ he told himself. "Allow me to go first Ladybug," he said unable to look her in the eye.

"Not this time kitty," she said sweetly.

"Then," Adrien studied her closely and saw the fear dancing in her eyes and it made him almost sick. "Ladies first," his voice broke as he said it.

"Thank you," she took a deep breath and he watched her squared her shoulders. "I need you not to interrupt me. I'm not sure I can do this otherwise." Adrien just nodded slowly. "Thank you." She smiled and clasped her hands together, rubbing small circles in her palm with her thumb. Adrien felt all the blood drain from his face, as he watched this incredibly familiar gesture. He knew Ladybug was talking, he could see her lips moving, she her gesturing, see the nervous flush creep out from beneath her mask. But he didn't hear a thing she said.

He knew that nervous gesture, he knew it well. He had seen it a thousand times before. He was fairly certain she wasn't even aware that she had done it, but suddenly everything fell into place. The bizarre coincidental disappearances, the flimsily concocted cover stories so similar to his own, the fact that any time Marinette disappeared, Ladybug took her place.

"Breathe kid," Plagg whispered into his ear. "I've been trying to tell you for years."

"I was so blind," Adrien said, but whether his words were for Marinette or Plagg he wasn't sure.

"Adrien please," Marinette's beautiful eyes started back at him from Ladybug's crimson mask, and Adrien wanted to kick himself for never noticing it before. "I asked you not to interrupt."

"Marinette," he said.

"Adrien," she chastised. Then she blinked, three times, in rapid succession, and the fear in her eyes clouded over in to disbelief. Adrien crossed the room in three large strides, and swept her into his arms, crashing his lips on hers, the electricity between them flaring up into something entirely different. She shivered in his arms, as her fists closed around the fabric of his shirt, trying to pull him closer. Her tongue danced along his lower lip as she deepened the kiss. His hands traveled along her sides, and rested at her waist, grabbing at the skin tight suit greedily. He felt a surge of power swirl around them, and he forced his lips from hers for a moment. Adrien watched as the light died, his hands were no longer on the red and black dotted suit, but sitting at a thin white belt over a black dress, a slit at the thigh and he could just make out the scarlet lining as she sifted her weight nervously.

"Hello princess," he purred resting his forehead on hers.

"Hi kitten," she said, a choke in her voice. He pulled away and saw the tears falling from the corner of her eyes. He reached up and brushed them away with his thumb.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice low.

"Nothing," she laughed, dashing the heel of her hand across her cheeks trying to remove the tear tracks entirely. "Stupid happy tears," her cheeks flushed slightly as she buried her nose in his chest, and Adrien pulled her closer to him, his eyes closed in bliss. He never would have believed his luck; his lady and his princess were one in the same.

"I am such an idiot," he whispered, resting his cheek on the top of her head, as Marinette snuggled deeper into his embrace. He felt her shake her head.

"No," she said, breathing deeply and he felt her relax. "I didn't know either. Until yesterday."

"Sounds like quite the story," Adrien smirked into her hair, and pulled away, his hands moving up her arms, giving them a gentle squeeze before they drifted back down to take her hands. "Care to share it?" Marinette nodded, and he led them to the couch. They sat close, as if both were scared that this was all a dream-as if they didn't hold on, this moment would vanish and they would wake up alone. He clutched her hand tighter as Marinette took a shaky breath.

"I'm not sure where to start," she giggled, toying with his fingers.

"At the beginning," Adrien urged her and she smiled.

And so she did, "After that bus driver akuma," she began, taking another nervous breath. She smiled and continued telling their story. By the end of it, with help from himself, Plagg and Tikki, everything was laid bare. They sat for a long time in silence, Adrien's arm wrapped around her waist, and Marinette's legs tucked beneath her on the couch. Her head rested on his shoulder, her nose barely touching the base of his neck in a sign of intimacy that both relaxed Adrien and maddened him at the same time.

Adrien finally dared at glance at the clock, and groaned realizing that it was a little after 4:30 in the morning. Marinette sighed as his grip around her tightened, "I noticed the time too," she said petulantly.

"It's too late to go all the way home," Adrien shifted and gave her a suggestive wink. "You should just stay here."

"Tempting," she narrowed her eyes in a smirk. "But I need to go. I have a breakfast meeting with your father, and then I have to catch the train out to Besancon to meet with the foreman at the factory that will be making the clothes for my line."

"How long are you gone?" Adrien asked.

"If all goes well," she shrugged. "I should be back tomorrow."

"I have a presentation tomorrow," Adrien groaned. "The day after tomorrow?" he offered.

"Booked all day," Marinette whined. "It's going to be difficult to see each other."

"We're the superheroes of Paris," Adrien placed a kiss on the top of her head. "If we can survive everything else we've been through, than incredibly busy schedules will be a breeze."

"Good point," she giggled, burying her nose in his neck again, and Adrien sighed contently.

"I was serious when I said that I waited four years for you," Adrien pulled her closer and whispered. She shivered in his arms, and his heart felt like it was going to burst. "I will wait however long it takes," he said confidently. Marinette craned her neck up and stole his lips in a final kiss before she extricated herself from his arms. He watched in wonder as she transformed, and gave him a mischievous wink before disappearing out the open skylight.

Four months later Marinette shot out of bed and tore across the floors of Adrien's apartment to where her boyfriend had hidden her phone in the futile hope that she would get a decent night's sleep. She whipped her sweaty palms on her pajama pants and snatched the phone sending Sabrina a text message. Sabrina had been a God sent. Chloe had recommend that Marinette call her and ask their old classmate to help in the final weeks before fashion week.

"Ok," Marinette exhaled a shaky breath as she read the message aloud in a whisper. "Stage lights on the left seemed dimmer than right. The programs are still at the printers, and I'm worried about the websites order link-it is still not working." She hit send, and got an immediate response from Sabrina.

–Don't worry M. I already talked to the lighting crew about the lights. I have the printers on my first stop before going to the event hall tomorrow, and I am standing over the over the web-designers shoulder as we speak.-

-I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT YOU SABRINA! HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO MAKE IT ALL LOOK EASY?- Marinette typed back quickly.

-Years of practice, ; ) - was Sabrina's quick reply.

Marinette stashed the phone back in its hiding spot and turned back to the bed to find Adrien's green eyes on her. "The whole point of hiding your phone my love, was so that you would sleep the night before your show," he smirked, as she climbed back into bed and lay her head on his chest.

"I know," she heaved a sigh. "I just can't shut my brain off."

"There is no reason to be worried," Adrien nuzzled the top of her head.

"For you maybe," she turned her eyes to him and glared. "You've been doing fashion week since you were in diapers. This is my first show. If I crash and burn…" she let out a whine.

"You will not crash and burn," his voice was confident and his unwavering confidence in her bolstered her courage slightly. She felt him shift, and groan. "It's 4." Marinette leapt form bed and tore into the kitchen and watched the coffee begin to brew. "I bought the one with the timer for a reason," Adrien laughed warmly. "Go shower, and it will be done by the time you get out." Marinette nodded and automatically went to the bathroom. The hot water did nothing to ease her nerves, and she climbed out to the shower to find that at some point, Adrien had snuck in and let a single red rose laying across the counter, next to a cup of still steaming coffee.

"I love you," she shouted though the slightly open door, wrapping herself up in the fluffy towel.

"I love you too," he shouted back, from somewhere in the house. She sipped at her coffee as she dried off, and did her hair. At some point Tikki fluttered into view over her shoulder.

"You two are so noisy in the morning," the red kwami covered her mouth as she yawned.

"Sorry Tikki," Marinette shot her a sympathetic look. "I promise we will all be sleeping in tomorrow." Tikki gave a sharp nod and shot Marinette a wink.

"Did you finish it?" she asked.

"Yes. Finally," Marinette rolled her eyes.

"When do you plan on giving it to him?" Tikki asked grabbing the eyeliner and floating up to hand it to Marinette.

"After the show," she smiled in thanks to the kwami. "Alya said I should do it before."

"Part of me agrees with her," Tikki shrugged. "It would be incredible if he was wearing your suit in the audience of the show."

"I thought about it," Marinette finished with the eyeliner and not sooner than she put it down, Tikki handed her the mascara. "But you know how Adrien has been about me making extra work for myself lately." Tikki beamed. The 'Chat Suit' that she had been making for Adrien was finally done, and currently sat back in her studio with the rest of the cleaned pressed and checked garments that she was bringing with her to the event hall. She had packed her emergency kit for any last second alterations or repairs, and Sabrina was on the rest already.

But it still didn't make her any less nervous for what was to come, as Adrien drove her back to her house, Plagg contentedly munching on cheese in the cup holder, Tikki's comforting weight on her shoulder. "You are going to be brilliant, love," Adrien reached over the space between them and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Thank you," she let out a shaky breath. "What time is your call?"

"Father has a 1 pm slot," Adrien pulled up to the curb outside her house. "I should be there at 10, but Father will be in his own version of panicking, so I'll be heading straight to his house after this."

"It is a relief to know that even your father worries about his show," Marinette said. They had had dinner with Gabriel the night before, and he had shared s few horror stories about his own fashion week debut.

"Father has always said," Adrien brought her hand up and kissed the back of her palm. "That if a designer isn't worried about their show, then the show will be a failure. What time do you start?"

"Six," she shivered from the sensation of his lips on her. "What time will you be there?"

"As soon as the press junket for my father's show is done," Adrien slid out of the car, and darted to the passenger side, opening the door for her. "We will both be heading over." Marinette nodded as Adrien placed a chaste kiss on a very distracted Marinette and she watched him go, waving as his car disappeared into the barely lightening sky.

The day flew by faster than she would imagine as Marinette found herself hovering over a sewing machine fixing a ripped hem. "Claire," she called over the shouting of dressers and makeup artists. The model in question ran over and apologized again for ripping the hem. "Don't worry about it," Marinette said firmly, "Just go."

"Does anyone have eyes on Jean Luc?" Sabrina shouted over the din with an aura of calm that Marinette wished she possessed.

"He's still not here," one of the dressers called.

"Find him," Marinette called, and for a moment everyone went still at the authority in her voice. "I want to know where he is."

"Careful my lady," Adrien's voice whispered in her ear. "Your spots are showing." Marinette whipped around and glared playfully at him as he sent her a very roguish smile. Adrien leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek, "What's the problem?" has asked as he stood up.

"Missing model," Marinette sighed, as she looked around the room, hoping that somehow Jean Luc had mysteriously appeared and was lurking in a corner. "Only an hour until the show. I should have fired him the first time he showed up late."

"This is a habit of his?" Adrien asked, his voice nearly a whisper.

"Yeah," Marinette slumped. Jean Luc had proven to be a bit of a loose cannon. He didn't get along with the other models at all, had started a fight at the final fitting, and was a massive flake. Marinette had only kept him around because he was good. The insiders had labeled him the next 'Adrien Agreste' in terms of his talent, but he continued to fly in the face of every designer that he worked with. "I had hoped that by sticking with him, he may straighten out, but looks like the jokes on me." Sabrina let out a loud gasp, drawing Marinette's attention entirely.

"Sabrina?" she asked cautiously, a pit in her stomach told her it was not good news. Sabrina bit her lip, and looked between Adrien and Marinette, the assistant's worry written all over her face, as she clutched her phone tightly to her chest.

"Before I show you this," Sabrina started her white knuckle grip on her phone intensifying. "You have to remember that it's not the end of the world."

"Damn it," Marinette growled, and she held out her hand for the phone. Sabrina reluctantly placed it in her palm, and Marinette almost didn't want to look, but forced her eyes to the brightly lit screen.

"Chloe emailed it to me," Sabrina confessed. "She thought the model's name looked familiar." Marinette took a deep breath and let it out slowly, biting her tongue to curb the string of Italian curses that threatened to spill out.

"Marcius, Albert," Marinette called over the din. The two remaining male models darted across the room and stood at attention. "Don't worry you two, you're not in trouble," she smiled at the Moreau Brothers. "Jen Luc has apparently been arrested, so…"

"What?" Marcius' jaw dropped.

"Pay up bro," Albert smirked. "Told you."

"Shut up," Marcius shoved Albert roughly.

"Albert," Marinette tried not to giggle at the pair. "Bring me the khaki slacks, I'll hem them and Marcius that set will go to you. Albert, I'm going to fix Jean Luc's set and you'll have to take those over."

"Yes Ma'am," Albert said nervously.

"What's wrong?" she fixed Albert with a gaze.

"The Suit," Albert said sheepishly. Marinette hung her head with a curse.

"That's right," she muttered. "The Suit won't work for you." She took a deep breath and pressed the bridge of her nose. There were many things she could alter or quick fix just for the show, but the Chat Suit was not one of them. Her gaze flitted over to her temporary work station and the neatly wrapped gift that lay there, and she sighed heavily. She looked at Adrien whose eyes watched her pleading to let him help. "Looks like you are going to get your wish after all," she rolled her eyes. "The suits covered boys, get to it," she ordered. The brothers darting back to their stations and filling in the dressers about the change. "Sabrina, can you…"

"Change the lineup, alert the director and get the pieces," Sabrina said furiously scribbling things down on a paper. "Already on it." Sabrina disappeared without another word. The dressers were already piling the clothes on her workstation, as she walked over and grabbed the gift wrapped box, and presented it to Adrien, who took it, but started asking rapid fire questions.

"Where am I in the line up?" he asked, "What alterations do you need to make? What can I do to help?"

"Slow down, Kitty," Marinette smirked. "You'd never fit in Jean Luc's suit." She tapped the box in his hands, as he stared at her confused. Marinette rolled her eyes again, and tapped the box without saying anything. Adrien finally got the hint, and gently he began to peel the wrapping paper back and she watched him, far more nervous than she would ever admit.

"When did you have time to finish this?" Adrien scoffed as he saw his suit, neatly pressed and waiting in the box.

"I'm pretty sure I told you that this," Marinette placed her hand over his, "Was a labor of love. I was going to finish it no matter what." Adrien leaned in and captured her lips, nipping playfully at them before he pulled away. "You're sure your father won't mind you stepping in?"

"He most certainly won't," Gabriel's voice came from behind Adrien. Marinette smiled nervously and called over a dresser. She introduced Adrien to his dresser and her boyfriend reluctantly left her side and disappeared into the room.

The hour flew by faster than any she had ever experienced. And the show went off without any noticeable hitch. At the press junket, where Marinette was asked more questions than she was comfortable with about her relationship with Adrien, but overall everyone seemed happy about her show. Her stress wasn't entirely over though. She had the reviews to worry about, but those wouldn't be out until the next day.

She slumped, exhausted in front of a mirror as she pulled out her garment bag. Marinette still had the gala to attend. Her adrenaline was finally beginning to fade and she let out a deep breath. "And how is the lady of the hour?" Adrien's voice called from the doorway.

"Wishing she had slept last night," Marinette quipped back.

"To late for that now," he stood behind the chair she sad in, his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them, eliciting a moan from Marinette. Her eyes rolled closed and she let herself get swept up in how his hands felt on her, rubbing her sore muscles, his very presence relaxing her. She had no idea how long they stayed like that. Adrien, moved from her shoulders to her arms and then back up to her neck, before placing a sweet kiss on her pulse point. "We need to get going if we're going to make it to the gala."

Reluctantly Marinette opened her eyes, and looked at Adrien in the refection of the mirror. He looked incredible, blond hair slightly tousled, green eyes bright and focused solely on her, adoration shining bright in his smile. Marinette forced her eyes away from him an all too familiar blush creeping over her features. Even after everything they had been through, he could make her blush with only a look. She looked at his suit and chucked as she stood up to change.

"You're not going to change?" she smiled teasingly.

"Why would I?" Adrien asked gesturing to the Chat-suit that he had worn in the show. "My girlfriend made it for me, and I love it." Marinette laughed as she ducked behind a partition and stripped off the clothes she'd worn to the press junket and smirked as she looked at the garment bag that held a final surprise for the evening. She quickly slipped into the gown, and stepped out from behind the partition. Adrien stared at her, his eyes darkened, jaw slack.

"Help me with the zipper?" she asked, turning her back to him as she smoothed the scarlet silk with a hand, admiring the way that the black sequins that dotted the fabric caught in the low light. She felt Adrien's warm hands run down her bare back for an instant causing her to shiver, as he finally reached the zipper and pulled it up.

"It's a bit daring, my lady," he whispered in her ear, his voice thick. "You look so much like you other-self tonight. And with me in the suit…you're not worried about being found out?" she turned to face him, finding a delighted smile on Adrien's face as he settled his hands on her hips, and pulled her closer to him.

"As long as I'm with you," Marinette rested her hands on his chest gazing up at him, "I think I'll be alright." She rose up on her tip-toes and kissed him. She leaned into the kiss with a contented sigh. "I'm looking forward for things to go back to normal."

"I don't think we have a normal, love-bug," Adrien chuckled as he pulled away. He offered his arm to Marinette and she took it, as he led her out the door and to the car waiting to whisk them away to the gala.

She snuggled closer to his arm, "Normal for us then," Marinette laughed, confident that whatever came their way next, they could face it.

Together.

The End

 _Author's Note: That's it! That's everything. Well…Everything I have for now. I thought about breaking this up in to two chapters, but I think it just reads better as one._

 _I honestly love these characters so much that it was a ton of fun to write a story for them. I may do another one in the future, but I'm not sure. I don't have any active plot bunnies for these two._

 _I just wanted to say one last time that I love all of you. Everyone who has reviewed, everyone who has followed this story in so way or another, everyone who just lurks in the back not saying anything but refreshing the page to see if there was another update (I was one of those until recently). Thank you all for your support. It really means a lot to me._

 _Hope you enjoy,_

 _-Ness_


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